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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $630 in Nabeul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $994 in Nabeul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,358 in Nabeul.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 99% more expensive than in Nabeul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Nabeul 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.43 TND 10.04

249.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$20.70 TND 60.6

101.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.36 TND 9.83

219.94%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$0.72 TND 2.10

386.11%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.60 TND 1.77

141.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.25 TND 0.73

252.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.29 TND 3.76

128.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.73 TND 5.06

160.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.51 TND 1.48

180.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.18 TND 0.52

922.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.16 TND 3.38

35.34%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.63 TND 4.76

53.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$11.19 TND 32.75

-26.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.78 TND 16.92

45.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$12.61 TND 36.90

-15.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.96 TND 5.75

33.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$3.07 TND 8.98

-53.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.83 TND 2.42

136.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.62 TND 1.81

237.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.63 TND 1.83

193.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.48 TND 1.40

352.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.52 TND 1.54

98.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.33 TND 0.97

224.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.32 TND 9.70

23.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$5.15 TND 15.06

97.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.13 TND 3.32

48.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.11 TND 3.25

127.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.82 TND 2.40

-37.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$10.05 TND 29.40

159.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.30 TND 0.88

976.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.31 TND 0.90

677.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$7.26 TND 21.26

-55.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.84 TND 2.47

57.14%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$35.1K TND 102.7K

-15.42%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$34.3K TND 100.3K

-30.98%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$46.49 TND 136

76.40%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.35 TND 27.35

145.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$15.05 TND 44.04

100.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$28.83 TND 84.4

80.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$14.38 TND 42.09

28.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.48 TND 13.10

11.16%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$85.7 TND 251

130.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,455 TND 7,184

117.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$37.82 TND 111

-5.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$43.87 TND 128

-8.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$99.7 TND 292

-21.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$65.5 TND 192

35.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$232 TND 679

308.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$159 TND 464

198.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$387 TND 1,132

324.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$278 TND 814

335.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$859 TND 2,514

372.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$802 TND 2,347

706.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$257 TND 752

154.30%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Nabeul: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $232 in Nabeul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 154% 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 $21.00 in Nabeul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $180 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 99% 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.

Average pay runs 154% 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $232 in Nabeul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $630 in Nabeul – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nabeul runs roughly 159% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $630 in Nabeul versus $1,256 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 $630 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 99% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.