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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,076 in Tripoli, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,653 in Tripoli, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,229 in Tripoli, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 21% more than Tripoli, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tripoli are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tripoli 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$5.01 LBP 448.8K

138.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$50.9 LBP 4.6M

-6.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$8.95 LBP 800.7K

31.28%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.1

$4.05 LBP 362.8K

1.73%

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

$1.40 MX$23.78

$1.52 LBP 135.8K

-7.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$0.86 LBP 76.9K

5.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$4.95 LBP 442.8K

-35.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.89 LBP 437.2K

44.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.49

$1.27 LBP 113.5K

32.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$0.81 LBP 72.1K

165.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$1.47 LBP 131.7K

20.41%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.83

$1.17 LBP 104.5K

141.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$13.39 LBP 1.2M

-31.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.52 LBP 583.3K

41.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$11.09 LBP 992.4K

13.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.00 LBP 268.1K

-1.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.83

$1.70 LBP 152.5K

-7.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$1.69 LBP 151.3K

31.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.15

$0.51 LBP 45.9K

362.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.86

$0.62 LBP 55.6K

220.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.63

$1.70 LBP 151.9K

16.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$0.93 LBP 83.0K

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$0.46 LBP 41.2K

163.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$2.98 LBP 267.0K

54.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$9.99 LBP 893.9K

5.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$1.32 LBP 118.2K

28.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$2.50 LBP 224.1K

10.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$5.08 LBP 454.6K

3.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$0.98 LBP 87.7K

272.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

$20.27 LBP 1.8M

-71.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$0.99 LBP 88.7K

55.56%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$52.9K LBP 4.7B

-56.92%

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

$32.5K LBP 2.9B

-20.56%

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$231 LBP 20.7M

-60.83%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$14.04 LBP 1.3M

79.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$22.13 LBP 2.0M

43.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

$39.39 LBP 3.5M

74.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

$9.82 LBP 878.6K

-50.51%

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

$226 MX$3,834

$682 LBP 61.0M

-66.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

$3,466 LBP 310.2M

21.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$68.9 LBP 6.2M

-31.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$48.39 LBP 4.3M

-10.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$139 LBP 12.4M

-42.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

$119 LBP 10.7M

-23.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$408 LBP 36.5M

166.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

$200 LBP 17.9M

103.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$737 LBP 66.0M

167.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

$354 LBP 31.7M

261.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

$1,173 LBP 105.0M

244.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

$841 LBP 75.3M

696.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$446 LBP 39.9M

73.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.09%

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 Tripoli: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $408 in Tripoli. 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 73% 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 $51.0 in Tripoli. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $218 in Tripoli – so Tripoli wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Tripoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 21%, 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 $1,614 in Tripoli. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tripoli, 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 $1,076 in Tripoli. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $682 in Tripoli. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tripoli, where all-in costs run around $1,076, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Tripoli it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tripoli – 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 Tripoli. 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.