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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $873 in Tripoli, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,352 in Tripoli, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,831 in Tripoli, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 47% more than Tripoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tripoli are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Tripoli 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$4.52 LBP 405.0K

164.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$37.41 LBP 3.3M

14.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.81 LBP 699.0K

35.60%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.45 LBP 219.7K

47.76%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.54 LBP 137.4K

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.88 LBP 78.4K

6.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.49 LBP 312.2K

-11.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$5.07 LBP 453.9K

-12.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.29 LBP 115.2K

10.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.32 LBP 28.6K

487.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.99 LBP 88.6K

64.65%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.58 LBP 141.5K

67.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$5.56 LBP 497.8K

47.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.82 LBP 521.2K

42.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$9.94 LBP 889.7K

11.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.02 LBP 91.0K

159.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.53 LBP 47.0K

183.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.45 LBP 40.2K

342.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.98 LBP 87.3K

112.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.55 LBP 49.6K

225.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.75 LBP 66.7K

190.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.29 LBP 25.8K

272.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.42 LBP 37.5K

147.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.46 LBP 220.0K

61.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.04 LBP 630.0K

44.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.22 LBP 109.5K

41.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.12 LBP 190.0K

17.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

-46.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$4.87 LBP 435.9K

-35.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.22 LBP 109.1K

96.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$20.06 LBP 1.8M

-84.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.88 LBP 78.6K

44.32%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$22.8K LBP 2.0B

35.67%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.3K LBP 1.8B

14.73%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$213 LBP 19.1M

-61.48%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$21.87 LBP 2.0M

2.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$37.71 LBP 3.4M

-21.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$19.35 LBP 1.7M

168.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$12.30 LBP 1.1M

51.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.37 LBP 570.2K

-21.98%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$135 LBP 12.1M

46.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$1,965 LBP 175.9M

168.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$34.59 LBP 3.1M

5.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$45.34 LBP 4.1M

-11.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$84.7 LBP 7.6M

-5.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$75.7 LBP 6.8M

17.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$252 LBP 22.6M

281.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$149 LBP 13.4M

211.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$776 LBP 69.5M

105.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$384 LBP 34.3M

215.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,111 LBP 99.4M

254.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$836 LBP 74.8M

671.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$412 LBP 36.9M

74.77%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Tripoli: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $252 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 75% 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: $251 vs $151 – 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 47%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,310 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $873 in Tripoli. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $135 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 $873, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.