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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,076 per month in Tripoli vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,653 per month in Tripoli vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,229 per month in Tripoli vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tripoli is about 18% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tripoli and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tripoli 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 LBP 448.8K

$11.96 MX$203

-58.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 LBP 4.6M

$47.38 MX$805

7.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 LBP 800.7K

$11.75 MX$200

-23.83%

Cappuccino

$4.05 LBP 362.8K

$4.12 MX$70.1

-1.70%

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

$1.52 LBP 135.8K

$1.40 MX$23.78

8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 LBP 76.9K

$0.91 MX$15.50

-5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 LBP 442.8K

$3.21 MX$54.5

54.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 LBP 437.2K

$7.07 MX$120

-30.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 LBP 113.5K

$1.68 MX$28.49

-24.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 LBP 72.1K

$2.15 MX$36.53

-62.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 LBP 131.7K

$1.77 MX$30.14

-16.95%

Eggs

$1.17 LBP 104.5K

$2.82 MX$47.83

-58.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.39 LBP 1.2M

$9.20 MX$156

45.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 LBP 583.3K

$9.23 MX$157

-29.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 LBP 992.4K

$12.64 MX$215

-12.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 LBP 268.1K

$2.95 MX$50.1

1.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 LBP 152.5K

$1.58 MX$26.83

7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 LBP 151.3K

$2.22 MX$37.76

-23.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 LBP 45.9K

$2.36 MX$40.15

-78.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 LBP 55.6K

$1.99 MX$33.86

-68.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 LBP 151.9K

$1.98 MX$33.63

-14.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 LBP 83.0K

$1.24 MX$21.07

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LBP 41.2K

$1.21 MX$20.58

-61.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 LBP 267.0K

$4.60 MX$78.2

-35.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.99 LBP 893.9K

$10.52 MX$179

-5.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 LBP 118.2K

$1.69 MX$28.74

-21.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 LBP 224.1K

$2.77 MX$47.13

-9.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 LBP 454.6K

$5.24 MX$89.0

-3.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 LBP 87.7K

$3.65 MX$62.0

-73.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.27 LBP 1.8M

$5.78 MX$98.3

250.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 LBP 88.7K

$1.54 MX$26.13

-35.71%

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

$52.9K LBP 4.7B

$22.8K MX$387.4K

132.14%

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

$32.5K LBP 2.9B

$25.8K MX$438.5K

25.88%

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

$231 LBP 20.7M

$90.7 MX$1,540

155.27%

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

$14.04 LBP 1.3M

$25.19 MX$428

-44.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.13 LBP 2.0M

$31.75 MX$539

-30.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.39 LBP 3.5M

$68.8 MX$1,169

-42.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$9.82 LBP 878.6K

$4.86 MX$82.6

102.06%

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

$682 LBP 61.0M

$226 MX$3,834

202.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,466 LBP 310.2M

$4,194 MX$71.2K

-17.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 LBP 6.2M

$47.38 MX$805

45.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.39 LBP 4.3M

$43.45 MX$738

11.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 LBP 12.4M

$80.2 MX$1,363

73.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 LBP 10.7M

$91.4 MX$1,552

30.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 LBP 36.5M

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-62.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 LBP 17.9M

$409 MX$6,943

-50.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 LBP 66.0M

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-62.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 LBP 31.7M

$1,281 MX$21.8K

-72.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,173 LBP 105.0M

$4,046 MX$68.7K

-71.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$841 LBP 75.3M

$6,704 MX$113.9K

-87.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$446 LBP 39.9M

$773 MX$13.1K

-42.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-3.93%

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

Last update for Tripoli: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $408 in Tripoli versus $1,086 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 73% 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 $51.0 in Tripoli versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $218 in Tripoli vs $278 in Playa del Carmen – so Tripoli wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 21%, 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 $1,614 per month in Tripoli and $1,958 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 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 $1,076 in Tripoli and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $682 per month in Tripoli and $226 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,076, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.