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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $502 in Tripoli, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $794 in Tripoli, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,085 in Tripoli, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 158% more than Tripoli, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tripoli are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tripoli 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.50 LYD 28.60

160.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$18.44 LYD 117

125.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.70 LYD 23.52

187.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.58 LYD 3.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.18

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$0.48 LYD 3.05

633.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.48 LYD 3.08

214.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.12 LYD 0.76

708.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.98 LYD 6.23

40.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.21 LYD 1.33

800.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.23 LYD 7.85

33.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.45 LYD 9.25

73.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.87 LYD 30.94

71.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.25 LYD 20.64

156.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.38 LYD 66.0

3.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.19 LYD 13.92

18.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.28 LYD 8.17

14.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.78 LYD 4.95

143.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.52 LYD 3.33

300.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.65 LYD 4.14

173.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.56 LYD 3.58

291.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.38 LYD 2.42

173.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.22 LYD 1.40

390.91%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 LYD 8.11

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 LYD 4.49

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.11

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$1.86 LYD 11.86

119.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.29 LYD 1.85

75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$21.42 LYD 136

23.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.95 LYD 6.02

243.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.85 LYD 5.41

192.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$4.49 LYD 28.54

-27.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.03 LYD 0.17

4266.67%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$13.9K LYD 88.2K

118.33%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$16.6K LYD 105.6K

41.14%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$31.84 LYD 202

160.27%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$8.02 LYD 51.0

177.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$22.67 LYD 144

29.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$28.49 LYD 181

81.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$12.20 LYD 77.6

50.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.62 LYD 29.35

9.74%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$52.4 LYD 333

283.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$914 LYD 5,812

470.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$21.51 LYD 137

71.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$35.82 LYD 228

11.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$49.76 LYD 316

57.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$55.2 LYD 351

57.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$207 LYD 1,316

369.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$123 LYD 780

281.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$393 LYD 2,496

318.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$226 LYD 1,434

441.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$248 LYD 1,574

168.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

17.5

-34.74%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tripoli: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $207 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 168% 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 $18.00 in Tripoli. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $116 – 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 158%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $753 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $502 in Tripoli. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Tripoli. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tripoli, where all-in costs run around $502, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.