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 $649 per month in Sfax vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,001 per month in Sfax vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,353 per month in Sfax vs $3,374 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

$3.43 TND 9.92

$11.71 MX$198

-70.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.68 TND 59.8

$46.59 MX$788

-55.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 TND 14.57

$11.65 MX$197

-56.74%

Cappuccino

$0.76 TND 2.21

$4.09 MX$69.2

-81.42%

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

$0.60 TND 1.74

$1.37 MX$23.23

-56.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 TND 0.79

$0.83 MX$14.09

-67.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 TND 4.55

$3.35 MX$56.7

-53.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 TND 6.08

$6.91 MX$117

-69.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 TND 1.48

$1.73 MX$29.20

-70.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 TND 0.66

$2.26 MX$38.21

-89.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 TND 4.02

$1.77 MX$29.91

-21.47%

Eggs

$1.67 TND 4.82

$2.73 MX$46.19

-38.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.84 TND 37.12

$9.18 MX$155

39.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 TND 16.45

$8.92 MX$151

-36.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 TND 41.28

$12.60 MX$213

13.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 TND 5.17

$3.02 MX$51.1

-40.73%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 TND 9.36

$1.57 MX$26.55

106.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 TND 3.12

$2.13 MX$35.93

-49.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.14

$2.26 MX$38.28

-67.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 TND 2.21

$2.00 MX$33.88

-62.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 TND 2.25

$2.06 MX$34.90

-62.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 TND 1.71

$1.18 MX$19.94

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 TND 0.94

$1.20 MX$20.35

-72.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 TND 11.47

$4.63 MX$78.4

-14.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.64 TND 19.20

$10.69 MX$181

-37.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 TND 3.31

$1.62 MX$27.38

-29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 TND 3.21

$2.88 MX$48.70

-61.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 TND 0.50

$0.57 MX$9.69

-70.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.28 TND 29.72

$29.83 MX$504

-65.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$5.45 MX$92.1

-94.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 TND 1.02

$3.70 MX$62.6

-90.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.73 TND 22.36

$5.98 MX$101

29.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 TND 2.59

$1.55 MX$26.26

-41.94%

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

$37.1K TND 107.3K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

66.23%

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

$35.3K TND 102.0K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

35.94%

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

$46.02 TND 133

$89.1 MX$1,507

-48.37%

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

$9.74 TND 28.16

$25.04 MX$423

-61.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.80 TND 42.80

$31.50 MX$532

-53.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.02 TND 81.1

$67.8 MX$1,146

-58.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.20 TND 20.83

$28.92 MX$489

-75.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 TND 13.28

$5.05 MX$85.4

-9.11%

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

$99.7 TND 288

$225 MX$3,803

-55.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,463 TND 7,124

$4,222 MX$71.4K

-41.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.92 TND 124

$47.44 MX$802

-9.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.95 TND 107

$44.98 MX$760

-17.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 TND 336

$82.0 MX$1,386

41.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.6 TND 195

$92.1 MX$1,557

-26.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 TND 562

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-81.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 TND 406

$405 MX$6,852

-65.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 TND 982

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-82.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 TND 626

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-83.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,037 TND 2,998

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-74.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$746 TND 2,159

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-88.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$332 TND 960

$749 MX$12.7K

-55.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

11.45

18.78%

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

Last update for Sfax: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Sfax versus $1,069 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 126% 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 $21.00 in Sfax versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $277 – 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 99%, 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 $973 per month in Sfax and $1,940 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 $649 in Sfax and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 190% 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 $649, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.