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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $624 in Nabeul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,014 in Nabeul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,404 in Nabeul.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 108% more expensive than Nabeul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Nabeul 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.36 TND 9.73

249.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$20.21 TND 58.5

105.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.40 TND 9.86

212.94%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$0.71 TND 2.06

395.77%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.61 TND 1.76

147.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.25 TND 0.73

288.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.25 TND 3.62

136.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.67 TND 4.84

166.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.53 TND 1.55

160.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.17 TND 0.50

1011.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.13 TND 3.27

45.13%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.62 TND 4.70

54.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$11.10 TND 32.13

-24.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.66 TND 16.39

47.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$12.50 TND 36.20

-14.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.05 TND 5.95

26.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.96 TND 8.56

-50.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.82 TND 2.36

131.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.64 TND 1.87

225.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.64 TND 1.85

178.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.48 TND 1.39

356.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.48 TND 1.39

116.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.31 TND 0.90

248.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.43 TND 9.93

18.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$5.04 TND 14.60

104.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.10 TND 3.19

55.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.06 TND 3.08

143.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.89 TND 2.57

-42.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$10.03 TND 29.05

163.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.30 TND 0.87

986.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.31 TND 0.89

703.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$7.42 TND 21.50

-56.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.82 TND 2.39

59.76%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$34.9K TND 101.2K

-13.31%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$34.2K TND 99.1K

-31.54%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$46.25 TND 134

79.18%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$9.86 TND 28.54

125.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$15.02 TND 43.51

95.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$29.10 TND 84.3

77.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$14.15 TND 40.98

29.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.45 TND 12.89

13.93%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$86.3 TND 250

132.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$2,502 TND 7,247

108.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$38.24 TND 111

-3.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$44.82 TND 130

-11.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$101 TND 293

-22.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$64.8 TND 188

34.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$234 TND 677

315.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$160 TND 463

192.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$377 TND 1,092

335.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$285 TND 825

328.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$873 TND 2,529

351.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$817 TND 2,366

695.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$270 TND 783

145.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.6

-16.03%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Nabeul: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $234 in Nabeul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 145% 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 $20.00 in Nabeul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $178 per month, with Nabeul 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 Nabeul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nabeul wins on cost – living expenses run 108% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nabeul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Playa del Carmen pays 145% more on average, 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $234 in Nabeul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $624 in Nabeul – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nabeul runs roughly 164% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $624 in Nabeul versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nabeul but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Nabeul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nabeul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $624 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nabeul hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Nabeul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.