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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $641 in Sfax, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,006 in Sfax, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,372 in Sfax, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 104% more than Sfax, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sfax are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sfax 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.51 TND 10.13

240.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$20.77 TND 59.9

128.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$5.23 TND 15.10

124.67%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$0.76 TND 2.19

442.11%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.62 TND 1.78

125.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.28 TND 0.82

225.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.66 TND 4.80

93.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.09 TND 6.02

238.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.48 TND 1.38

250.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.23 TND 0.66

834.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.36 TND 3.92

30.15%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.65 TND 4.76

70.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$12.74 TND 36.75

-27.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.88 TND 16.96

56.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$14.48 TND 41.79

-12.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.88 TND 5.43

56.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$3.18 TND 9.17

-50.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.07 TND 3.08

107.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.70 TND 2.02

237.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.78 TND 2.24

155.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.78 TND 2.26

153.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.59 TND 1.69

110.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.35 TND 1.01

245.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.94 TND 11.37

16.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$6.89 TND 19.88

52.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.20 TND 3.45

40.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.08 TND 3.12

156.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.18 TND 0.52

233.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$10.21 TND 29.46

190.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.34 TND 0.98

1441.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.32 TND 0.94

1040.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$7.48 TND 21.59

-22.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.89 TND 2.57

73.03%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$37.6K TND 108.6K

-39.41%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$35.8K TND 103.2K

-27.85%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$45.49 TND 131

99.32%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$9.58 TND 27.64

162.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$14.73 TND 42.51

115.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$28.12 TND 81.1

144.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$7.56 TND 21.81

288.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.68 TND 13.51

3.85%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$99.6 TND 287

126.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$2,515 TND 7,257

66.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$44.53 TND 128

6.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$36.53 TND 105

18.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$118 TND 340

-31.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$67.6 TND 195

35.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$196 TND 566

453.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$136 TND 393

200.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$347 TND 1,000

468.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$224 TND 647

471.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,018 TND 2,939

297.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$748 TND 2,158

796.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$342 TND 988

125.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

13.6

-15.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sfax: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $196 in Sfax. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 126% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Sfax. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $199 – making Sfax the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Sfax: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 104%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $962 in Sfax. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sfax, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $641 in Sfax. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 191% less in Sfax. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sfax, where all-in costs run around $641, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Sfax it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sfax – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sfax. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.