Cost of Living Comparison Between Sfax and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Sfax and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $628 per month in Sfax vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,005 per month in Sfax vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,382 per month in Sfax vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sfax is about 50% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sfax and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sfax 53% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.36 TND 9.67

$11.61 MX$201

-71.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.94 TND 57.4

$42.75 MX$742

-53.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.43 TND 9.89

$10.60 MX$184

-67.64%

Cappuccino

$0.72 TND 2.07

$3.59 MX$62.3

-79.94%

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

$0.64 TND 1.85

$1.45 MX$25.21

-55.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 TND 0.66

$0.90 MX$15.58

-74.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 TND 4.31

$3.03 MX$52.6

-50.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 TND 5.45

$4.56 MX$79.2

-58.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.54 TND 1.54

$1.45 MX$25.20

-62.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.18 TND 0.52

$1.83 MX$31.72

-90.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 TND 4.44

$1.61 MX$27.92

-4.35%

Eggs

$1.58 TND 4.56

$2.54 MX$44.05

-37.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 TND 32.94

$8.54 MX$148

33.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.77 TND 16.62

$8.47 MX$147

-31.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.43 TND 38.68

$10.86 MX$189

23.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 TND 6.23

$2.73 MX$47.37

-20.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 TND 8.58

$1.49 MX$25.91

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 TND 3.02

$1.94 MX$33.73

-45.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 TND 2.00

$2.16 MX$37.57

-68.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.13

$1.85 MX$32.05

-60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 TND 2.05

$2.19 MX$38.00

-67.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 TND 1.50

$1.07 MX$18.62

-51.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 TND 0.96

$1.08 MX$18.81

-69.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 TND 10.09

$4.06 MX$70.5

-13.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.86 TND 19.76

$10.46 MX$182

-34.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 TND 3.17

$1.65 MX$28.71

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 TND 3.14

$2.55 MX$44.23

-57.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 TND 0.53

$0.56 MX$9.65

-67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.00 TND 28.80

$26.20 MX$455

-61.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.85

$3.14 MX$54.5

-90.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TND 0.88

$2.37 MX$41.17

-86.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 TND 21.65

$3.24 MX$56.2

132.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 TND 2.53

$1.31 MX$22.81

-32.82%

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

$35.8K TND 103.0K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

17.10%

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

$34.4K TND 99.1K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

44.47%

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

$45.20 TND 130

$83.1 MX$1,443

-45.63%

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

$9.57 TND 27.55

$22.15 MX$385

-56.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.11 TND 43.50

$29.37 MX$510

-48.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.00 TND 77.8

$51.2 MX$889

-47.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.42 TND 21.37

$18.69 MX$324

-60.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 TND 13.36

$4.89 MX$84.9

-5.11%

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

$110 TND 317

$199 MX$3,449

-44.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,460 TND 7,086

$5,207 MX$90.4K

-52.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.58 TND 131

$35.93 MX$624

26.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.60 TND 128

$39.39 MX$684

13.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 TND 290

$80.3 MX$1,394

25.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 TND 189

$87.6 MX$1,520

-25.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$188 TND 542

$963 MX$16.7K

-80.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 TND 384

$482 MX$8,370

-72.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 TND 968

$1,645 MX$28.6K

-79.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 TND 722

$1,192 MX$20.7K

-78.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$995 TND 2,867

$3,957 MX$68.7K

-74.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$669 TND 1,927

$6,513 MX$113.1K

-89.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$325 TND 936

$726 MX$12.6K

-55.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

11.42

19.09%

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

Last update for Sfax: April 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $188 in Sfax versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. 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 124% 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 $20 in Sfax versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $253 – making Sfax 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

Sfax vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 101%, 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 $942 per month in Sfax and $1,894 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sfax, 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 $628 in Sfax and $1,262 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 162% less in Sfax. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sfax, where all-in costs run around $628, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,262. In Sfax it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sfax – 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 Sfax. 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.