Cost of Living Comparison Between Tel Aviv-Yafo and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Tel Aviv-Yafo and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,688 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,144 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,599 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tel Aviv-Yafo costs about 107% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Tel Aviv-Yafo sits 101% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.14 ₪65.2

$11.73 MX$205

88.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 ₪338

$41.62 MX$727

175.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.84 ₪49.56

$10.64 MX$186

58.27%

Cappuccino

$4.22 ₪12.42

$3.52 MX$61.4

19.89%

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

$3.21 ₪9.46

$1.51 MX$26.37

112.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₪7.37

$0.97 MX$17.00

157.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.12 ₪26.84

$2.95 MX$51.5

209.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 ₪24.41

$4.45 MX$77.8

86.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ₪5.85

$1.38 MX$24.16

44.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 ₪8.68

$1.89 MX$33.03

56.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 ₪9.64

$1.64 MX$28.59

99.39%

Eggs

$4.25 ₪12.52

$2.51 MX$43.76

69.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.80 ₪46.50

$8.34 MX$146

89.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.39 ₪36.47

$8.34 MX$146

48.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.36 ₪62.9

$10.73 MX$187

99.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 ₪12.04

$2.60 MX$45.47

57.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ₪7.39

$1.46 MX$25.45

71.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ₪6.83

$1.90 MX$33.19

22.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 ₪9.54

$2.08 MX$36.26

55.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 ₪5.44

$1.78 MX$31.01

3.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 ₪5.64

$2.19 MX$38.16

-12.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 ₪6.33

$1.04 MX$18.16

106.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₪4.38

$1.08 MX$18.80

37.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.45 ₪33.72

$4.08 MX$71.3

180.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.91 ₪52.7

$10.32 MX$180

73.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₪9.22

$1.71 MX$29.90

83.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₪10.28

$2.58 MX$44.97

35.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 ₪6.77

$0.51 MX$8.90

350.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 ₪210

$26.46 MX$462

169.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 ₪11.80

$3.26 MX$57.0

23.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₪1.71

$2.49 MX$43.50

-76.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.27 ₪101

$3.25 MX$56.7

954.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 ₪6.04

$1.31 MX$22.83

56.49%

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

$48.2K ₪141.8K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

59.09%

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

$45.0K ₪132.3K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

91.87%

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

$270 ₪796

$82.9 MX$1,447

226.35%

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

$10.89 ₪32.07

$22.22 MX$388

-50.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.26 ₪89.1

$29.34 MX$512

3.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.6 ₪231

$51.6 MX$902

52.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 ₪56.4

$18.32 MX$320

4.53%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 ₪39.13

$5.07 MX$88.5

162.13%

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

$1,291 ₪3,801

$201 MX$3,507

543.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.4K ₪74.7K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

386.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 ₪326

$36.92 MX$645

200.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 ₪179

$39.79 MX$695

52.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 ₪394

$78.5 MX$1,370

70.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 ₪437

$87.1 MX$1,521

70.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 ₪4,872

$973 MX$17.0K

70.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 ₪3,490

$468 MX$8,168

153.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,086 ₪9,084

$1,641 MX$28.7K

88.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,287 ₪6,734

$1,221 MX$21.3K

87.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.4K ₪65.9K

$3,946 MX$68.9K

467.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.6K ₪42.9K

$6,498 MX$113.5K

124.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,472 ₪13.2K

$664 MX$11.6K

573.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.46

11.42

-52.19%

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

Last update for Tel Aviv-Yafo: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,655 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $973 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 574% higher in Tel Aviv-Yafo, 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 $115 in Tel Aviv-Yafo versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $408 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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

Tel Aviv-Yafo vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tel Aviv-Yafo is pricier by about 107%, 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 $4,032 per month in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $1,945 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $2,688 in Tel Aviv-Yafo and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 169% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Tel Aviv-Yafo at $2,688. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tel Aviv-Yafo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tel Aviv-Yafo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.