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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $849 in Tripoli, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,342 in Tripoli, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,835 in Tripoli, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 50% more than Tripoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tripoli are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tripoli 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.63 LBP 414.2K

156.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$37.44 LBP 3.4M

14.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.08 LBP 723.6K

31.81%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.56 LBP 229.0K

34.77%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.47 LBP 131.3K

2.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.93 LBP 83.6K

2.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.54 LBP 317.1K

-14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.92 LBP 440.1K

-6.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.34 LBP 119.6K

2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.34 LBP 30.8K

444.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.92 LBP 82.5K

75.00%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.62 LBP 145.2K

59.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$5.61 LBP 502.4K

47.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.91 LBP 528.5K

41.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$9.86 LBP 882.9K

8.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

168.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.57 LBP 50.8K

161.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.48 LBP 43.2K

300.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.97 LBP 87.1K

115.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.54 LBP 48.7K

244.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.74 LBP 66.0K

205.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.31 LBP 28.0K

241.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.42 LBP 37.3K

159.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.46 LBP 220.4K

68.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$9.87 LBP 883.6K

5.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.28 LBP 114.7K

34.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.20 LBP 196.9K

18.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.02 LBP 91.6K

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$5.05 LBP 452.2K

-38.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.24 LBP 111.0K

102.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

-84.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.90 LBP 80.6K

41.11%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$22.3K LBP 2.0B

36.39%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$19.7K LBP 1.8B

19.62%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$213 LBP 19.1M

-61.07%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$21.71 LBP 1.9M

4.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$37.82 LBP 3.4M

-22.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$19.82 LBP 1.8M

157.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$12.38 LBP 1.1M

48.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.47 LBP 578.8K

-23.80%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$138 LBP 12.3M

43.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$1,987 LBP 177.9M

165.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$34.49 LBP 3.1M

6.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$45.27 LBP 4.1M

-11.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$84.4 LBP 7.6M

-5.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$76.4 LBP 6.8M

17.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$253 LBP 22.7M

277.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$148 LBP 13.2M

222.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$762 LBP 68.2M

115.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$383 LBP 34.2M

220.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,180 LBP 105.6M

231.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$867 LBP 77.6M

645.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$446 LBP 39.9M

49.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.20%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tripoli: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $253 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 50% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Tripoli. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $158 – making Tripoli 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 Tripoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,273 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $849 in Tripoli. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $138 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 $849, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.