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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $607 in Sfax, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $984 in Sfax, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,360 in Sfax, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 107% 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 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.37 TND 9.85

255.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$20.38 TND 59.6

105.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.30 TND 9.67

225.76%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$0.78 TND 2.27

348.72%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.64 TND 1.89

126.56%

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

$1.56 TND 4.55

89.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.92 TND 5.61

134.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.53 TND 1.56

169.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.16 TND 0.46

1050.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.50 TND 4.38

4.67%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.58 TND 4.63

58.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$11.15 TND 32.62

-25.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.76 TND 16.84

46.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$13.29 TND 38.88

-19.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.23 TND 6.53

17.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.95 TND 8.64

-51.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.05 TND 3.08

86.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.69 TND 2.03

202.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.80 TND 2.35

131.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.77 TND 2.25

181.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.51 TND 1.50

101.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.31 TND 0.90

245.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.60 TND 10.55

13.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.65 TND 19.46

52.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.10 TND 3.22

52.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.05 TND 3.08

140.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.21 TND 0.61

142.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$10.10 TND 29.56

157.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.32 TND 0.95

909.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.33 TND 0.97

630.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$7.59 TND 22.22

-57.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.82 TND 2.40

60.98%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$36.3K TND 106.2K

-18.16%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$35.0K TND 102.5K

-32.48%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$45.93 TND 134

78.55%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.42 TND 27.57

143.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$14.56 TND 42.61

106.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$27.04 TND 79.1

92.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$7.49 TND 21.92

147.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.67 TND 13.68

6.64%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$110 TND 322

79.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,482 TND 7,262

115.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$44.06 TND 129

-19.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$44.10 TND 129

-8.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$101 TND 297

-22.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$65.1 TND 190

36.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$187 TND 546

407.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$134 TND 391

255.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$336 TND 984

388.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$249 TND 729

385.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,017 TND 2,977

298.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$647 TND 1,893

900.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$327 TND 957

99.84%

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 Sfax: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $187 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 100% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $20.00 in Sfax. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $188 – 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 107%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $910 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $607 in Sfax. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 158% 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 $607, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.