Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Monastir Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Monastir

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $680 in Monastir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,073 in Monastir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,467 in Monastir.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 85% more expensive than in Monastir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Monastir 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.81 TND 11.19

207.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$726

$23.83 TND 69.9

75.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$5.12 TND 15.02

105.27%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.1

$0.88 TND 2.58

307.95%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MX$26.14

$0.71 TND 2.08

112.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.86

$0.31 TND 0.91

196.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.71 TND 5.02

73.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.4

$1.88 TND 5.51

134.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.19

$0.49 TND 1.44

185.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.65

$0.15 TND 0.44

1153.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.01

$1.74 TND 5.12

-10.34%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.21

$1.50 TND 4.40

74.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.29 TND 36.07

-32.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.88 TND 17.26

42.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$13.77 TND 40.40

-21.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.00

$1.53 TND 4.49

77.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.08

$3.16 TND 9.28

-52.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.46

$0.98 TND 2.88

90.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.95

$0.75 TND 2.21

192.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.19

$0.75 TND 2.19

148.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.65

$0.59 TND 1.75

277.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.51

$0.43 TND 1.27

148.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.82

$0.31 TND 0.91

251.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$3.45 TND 10.12

21.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

$5.22 TND 15.31

99.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.72

$1.19 TND 3.49

39.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.26

$1.39 TND 4.07

87.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

$0.38 TND 1.13

42.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$11.56 TND 33.93

126.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.32 TND 0.94

862.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.67

$0.33 TND 0.98

627.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

$3.47 TND 10.19

-9.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$0.81 TND 2.37

61.73%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.8K MX$516.5K

$40.8K TND 119.8K

-27.02%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.3K MX$404.1K

$35.7K TND 104.7K

-34.65%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$81.3 MX$1,408

$58.4 TND 171

39.18%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.56 MX$391

$10.12 TND 29.71

122.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$521

$18.20 TND 53.4

65.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

$20.70 TND 60.8

155.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$6.97 TND 20.44

163.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.3

$5.41 TND 15.87

-9.06%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$201 MX$3,480

$106 TND 310

90.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.7K

$3,221 TND 9,451

60.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$44.84 TND 132

-19.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$695

$62.1 TND 182

-35.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,381

$113 TND 332

-29.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$82.1 TND 241

5.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$208 TND 611

369.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,153

$133 TND 391

253.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$463 TND 1,359

256.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

$276 TND 811

335.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

$1,249 TND 3,664

216.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

$627 TND 1,839

954.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$348 TND 1,021

94.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.82%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Monastir: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $208 in Monastir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 95% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $24.00 in Monastir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $189 per month, with Monastir cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Monastir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monastir is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 95% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $208 in Monastir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $680 in Monastir – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Monastir runs roughly 126% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $680 in Monastir versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Monastir but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Monastir the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Monastir is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Monastir are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Monastir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.