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 $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $628 in Sfax, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,005 in Sfax, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,054 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,382 in Sfax, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 101% more than Sfax, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sfax are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Sfax 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$3.36 TND 9.67

245.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$742

$19.94 TND 57.4

114.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$3.43 TND 9.89

209.04%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$0.72 TND 2.07

398.61%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$0.64 TND 1.85

126.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$0.23 TND 0.66

291.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$1.50 TND 4.31

102.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.2

$1.89 TND 5.45

141.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.20

$0.54 TND 1.54

168.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.72

$0.18 TND 0.52

916.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.92

$1.54 TND 4.44

4.55%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.05

$1.58 TND 4.56

60.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$11.44 TND 32.94

-25.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$5.77 TND 16.62

46.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$13.43 TND 38.68

-19.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.37

$2.16 TND 6.23

26.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.91

$2.98 TND 8.58

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.73

$1.05 TND 3.02

84.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.57

$0.69 TND 2.00

213.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.05

$0.74 TND 2.13

150.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.00

$0.71 TND 2.05

208.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.62

$0.52 TND 1.50

105.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.81

$0.33 TND 0.96

227.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.5

$3.50 TND 10.09

16.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$182

$6.86 TND 19.76

52.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.71

$1.10 TND 3.17

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.23

$1.09 TND 3.14

133.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.65

$0.18 TND 0.53

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

$10.00 TND 28.80

162.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.5

$0.30 TND 0.85

946.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.17

$0.31 TND 0.88

664.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.2

$7.52 TND 21.65

-56.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.81

$0.88 TND 2.53

48.86%

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

$30.5K MX$530.2K

$35.8K TND 103.0K

-14.60%

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

$23.8K MX$413.6K

$34.4K TND 99.1K

-30.78%

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

$83.1 MX$1,443

$45.20 TND 130

83.94%

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

$22.15 MX$385

$9.57 TND 27.55

131.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$510

$15.11 TND 43.50

94.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$889

$27.00 TND 77.8

89.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

$7.42 TND 21.37

151.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.9

$4.64 TND 13.36

5.39%

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

$199 MX$3,449

$110 TND 317

80.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.4K

$2,460 TND 7,086

111.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$624

$45.58 TND 131

-21.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$684

$44.60 TND 128

-11.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,394

$101 TND 290

-20.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,520

$65.6 TND 189

33.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$188 TND 542

412.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,370

$133 TND 384

262.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.6K

$336 TND 968

389.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.7K

$251 TND 722

375.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

$995 TND 2,867

297.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$113.1K

$669 TND 1,927

873.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

$325 TND 936

123.56%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Sfax: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $188 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 124% 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 $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $20 in Sfax. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $191 – 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 101%, 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 $1,894 per month in Playa del Carmen and $942 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 $1,262 in Playa del Carmen and $628 in Sfax. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 162% 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 $628, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,262. 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.