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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $530 in Tripoli, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $804 in Tripoli, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,079 in Tripoli, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 144% 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 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.88 LYD 24.59

201.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$14.99 LYD 94.9

210.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$2.49 LYD 15.77

367.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 LYD 3.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 LYD 3.82

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$0.44 LYD 2.76

829.55%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.42 LYD 2.65

226.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.09 LYD 0.59

822.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$0.94 LYD 5.96

84.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$0.20 LYD 1.27

1030.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.12 LYD 7.10

58.04%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$1.33 LYD 8.44

105.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$5.03 LYD 31.87

82.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$3.27 LYD 20.73

172.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$9.86 LYD 62.4

27.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.32 LYD 14.70

30.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.51 LYD 9.55

3.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$0.71 LYD 4.47

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$0.55 LYD 3.50

310.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$0.71 LYD 4.47

181.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$0.46 LYD 2.90

347.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.43 LYD 2.70

174.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.19 LYD 1.17

531.58%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 LYD 11.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 LYD 6.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 LYD 5.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$2.00 LYD 12.64

131.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.32 LYD 2.04

78.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$0.80 LYD 5.08

581.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.45 LYD 2.86

722.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$0.02 LYD 0.11

7650.00%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$24.0K LYD 152.0K

-6.97%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$14.1K LYD 89.2K

84.20%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$96.2 LYD 609

-7.34%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$5.63 LYD 35.65

344.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$27.89 LYD 177

12.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$23.88 LYD 151

183.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$2.39 LYD 15.16

1110.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

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

$225 MX$3,803

$53.6 LYD 339

319.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$623 LYD 3,945

577.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$20.54 LYD 130

130.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$17.80 LYD 113

152.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$55.7 LYD 353

47.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$67.3 LYD 426

36.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$361 LYD 2,288

195.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$145 LYD 919

179.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$602 LYD 3,810

221.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$262 LYD 1,661

395.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$250 LYD 1,584

199.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tripoli: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $361 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 199% 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 $15.00 in Tripoli. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $115 – 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 144%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $794 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $530 in Tripoli. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $53.6 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 $530, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.