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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $505 in Tripoli, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $810 in Tripoli, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,114 in Tripoli, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 149% more than Tripoli, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tripoli are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tripoli 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.49 LYD 28.62

167.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$18.69 LYD 119

123.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.63 LYD 23.13

196.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.22

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$0.48 LYD 3.07

629.17%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.45 LYD 2.89

222.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.09 LYD 0.60

877.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.03 LYD 6.58

38.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.23 LYD 1.47

700.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.18 LYD 7.49

33.05%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.45 LYD 9.24

73.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$4.81 LYD 30.63

72.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.34 LYD 21.27

152.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$10.43 LYD 66.5

2.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.19 LYD 13.93

19.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.34 LYD 8.55

7.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.76 LYD 4.82

157.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.52 LYD 3.29

301.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.69 LYD 4.42

168.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.53 LYD 3.37

309.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.39 LYD 2.47

164.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.20 LYD 1.27

435.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.22 LYD 7.74

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.21

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.86 LYD 11.86

120.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.27 LYD 1.71

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$21.56 LYD 137

20.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.95 LYD 6.04

240.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.85 LYD 5.43

183.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.56 LYD 29.05

-29.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.03 LYD 0.20

4300.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$13.7K LYD 87.2K

116.94%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$16.4K LYD 104.4K

44.41%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$32.67 LYD 208

151.03%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$8.27 LYD 52.7

177.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$22.56 LYD 144

33.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$27.55 LYD 176

88.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$11.74 LYD 74.8

57.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.49 LYD 28.62

10.91%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$52.4 LYD 334

276.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$932 LYD 5,939

472.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$21.40 LYD 136

66.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$35.81 LYD 228

12.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$50.6 LYD 323

55.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$55.8 LYD 355

59.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$212 LYD 1,350

346.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$120 LYD 764

295.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$391 LYD 2,488

320.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$218 LYD 1,386

456.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$243 LYD 1,548

169.12%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tripoli: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $212 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 169% 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 $19.00 in Tripoli. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $117 – 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 149%, 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 $758 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $505 in Tripoli. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 21% 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 $505, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.