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 $849 per month in Tripoli vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,342 per month in Tripoli vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Tripoli vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tripoli is about 33% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tripoli and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tripoli 37% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 LBP 414.2K

$11.87 MX$204

-60.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.44 LBP 3.4M

$42.90 MX$736

-12.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 LBP 723.6K

$10.65 MX$183

-24.13%

Cappuccino

$2.56 LBP 229.0K

$3.45 MX$59.2

-25.80%

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

$1.47 LBP 131.3K

$1.50 MX$25.81

-2.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 LBP 83.6K

$0.95 MX$16.28

-2.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 LBP 317.1K

$3.03 MX$51.9

16.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 LBP 440.1K

$4.61 MX$79.1

6.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 LBP 119.6K

$1.38 MX$23.61

-2.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 LBP 30.8K

$1.85 MX$31.70

-81.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 LBP 82.5K

$1.61 MX$27.65

-42.86%

Eggs

$1.62 LBP 145.2K

$2.59 MX$44.51

-37.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.61 LBP 502.4K

$8.26 MX$142

-32.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 LBP 528.5K

$8.37 MX$144

-29.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.86 LBP 882.9K

$10.66 MX$183

-7.50%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

$2.63 MX$45.12

-62.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 LBP 50.8K

$1.49 MX$25.53

-61.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.48 LBP 43.2K

$1.92 MX$32.94

-75.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 LBP 87.1K

$2.09 MX$35.81

-53.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 LBP 48.7K

$1.86 MX$31.88

-70.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 LBP 66.0K

$2.26 MX$38.81

-67.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 LBP 28.0K

$1.06 MX$18.23

-70.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 LBP 37.3K

$1.09 MX$18.67

-61.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 LBP 220.4K

$4.15 MX$71.2

-40.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.87 LBP 883.6K

$10.39 MX$178

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 LBP 114.7K

$1.72 MX$29.59

-25.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 LBP 196.9K

$2.61 MX$44.85

-15.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 LBP 91.6K

$0.54 MX$9.30

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 LBP 452.2K

$3.13 MX$53.7

61.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 LBP 111.0K

$2.51 MX$43.09

-50.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

$3.15 MX$54.1

532.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 LBP 80.6K

$1.27 MX$21.88

-29.13%

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

$22.3K LBP 2.0B

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-26.68%

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

$19.7K LBP 1.8B

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-16.40%

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

$213 LBP 19.1M

$83.0 MX$1,425

156.87%

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

$21.71 LBP 1.9M

$22.71 MX$390

-4.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.82 LBP 3.4M

$29.46 MX$506

28.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.82 LBP 1.8M

$51.0 MX$875

-61.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.38 LBP 1.1M

$18.33 MX$315

-32.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 LBP 578.8K

$4.93 MX$84.5

31.24%

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

$138 LBP 12.3M

$197 MX$3,386

-30.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,987 LBP 177.9M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-62.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.49 LBP 3.1M

$36.90 MX$633

-6.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.27 LBP 4.1M

$39.89 MX$685

13.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 LBP 7.6M

$80.0 MX$1,373

5.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 LBP 6.8M

$89.5 MX$1,536

-14.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 LBP 22.7M

$956 MX$16.4K

-73.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 LBP 13.2M

$477 MX$8,189

-69.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 LBP 68.2M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-53.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 LBP 34.2M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-68.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,180 LBP 105.6M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-69.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$867 LBP 77.6M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-86.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$446 LBP 39.9M

$667 MX$11.4K

-33.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-12.43%

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

Last update for Tripoli: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $253 in Tripoli versus $956 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 50% 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 $37.00 in Tripoli versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $158 vs $250 – 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,273 per month in Tripoli and $1,906 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 $849 in Tripoli and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $138 per month in Tripoli and $197 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 $849, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.