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 $873 per month in Tripoli vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,352 per month in Tripoli vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,831 per month in Tripoli vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tripoli is about 32% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tripoli and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tripoli 35% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 LBP 405.0K

$11.94 MX$209

-62.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.41 LBP 3.3M

$42.75 MX$748

-12.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 LBP 699.0K

$10.59 MX$185

-26.25%

Cappuccino

$2.45 LBP 219.7K

$3.62 MX$63.4

-32.32%

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

$1.54 LBP 137.4K

$1.47 MX$25.69

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 LBP 78.4K

$0.94 MX$16.51

-6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 LBP 312.2K

$3.09 MX$54.1

12.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 LBP 453.9K

$4.46 MX$78.0

13.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 LBP 115.2K

$1.43 MX$24.94

-9.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 LBP 28.6K

$1.88 MX$32.97

-82.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.6K

$1.63 MX$28.50

-39.26%

Eggs

$1.58 LBP 141.5K

$2.64 MX$46.26

-40.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.56 LBP 497.8K

$8.21 MX$144

-32.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 LBP 521.2K

$8.29 MX$145

-29.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 LBP 889.7K

$11.10 MX$194

-10.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 LBP 91.0K

$2.65 MX$46.40

-61.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.53 LBP 47.0K

$1.50 MX$26.26

-64.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.45 LBP 40.2K

$1.99 MX$34.79

-77.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 LBP 87.3K

$2.08 MX$36.33

-52.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 LBP 49.6K

$1.79 MX$31.29

-69.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 LBP 66.7K

$2.18 MX$38.09

-65.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 LBP 25.8K

$1.08 MX$18.84

-73.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 LBP 37.5K

$1.04 MX$18.15

-59.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 LBP 220.0K

$3.97 MX$69.5

-38.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.04 LBP 630.0K

$10.20 MX$179

-30.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 LBP 109.5K

$1.73 MX$30.22

-29.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 LBP 190.0K

$2.50 MX$43.71

-15.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

$0.52 MX$9.07

88.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 LBP 435.9K

$3.14 MX$55.0

55.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 LBP 109.1K

$2.40 MX$42.04

-49.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.06 LBP 1.8M

$3.09 MX$54.0

549.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 LBP 78.6K

$1.27 MX$22.28

-30.71%

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

$22.8K LBP 2.0B

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-26.29%

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

$20.3K LBP 1.8B

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-12.84%

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

$213 LBP 19.1M

$82.0 MX$1,435

159.58%

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

$21.87 LBP 2.0M

$22.45 MX$393

-2.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.71 LBP 3.4M

$29.66 MX$519

27.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.35 LBP 1.7M

$51.9 MX$908

-62.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.30 LBP 1.1M

$18.67 MX$327

-34.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 LBP 570.2K

$4.97 MX$87.0

28.17%

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

$135 LBP 12.1M

$198 MX$3,462

-31.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,965 LBP 175.9M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-62.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.59 LBP 3.1M

$36.34 MX$636

-4.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.34 LBP 4.1M

$40.05 MX$701

13.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 LBP 7.6M

$79.9 MX$1,398

6.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.7 LBP 6.8M

$88.9 MX$1,555

-14.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 LBP 22.6M

$963 MX$16.9K

-73.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 LBP 13.4M

$465 MX$8,133

-67.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 LBP 69.5M

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-51.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 LBP 34.3M

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-68.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,111 LBP 99.4M

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-71.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$836 LBP 74.8M

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-87.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$412 LBP 36.9M

$720 MX$12.6K

-42.78%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $252 in Tripoli 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 75% 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: $151 vs $251 – 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 47%, 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 $1,310 per month in Tripoli and $1,930 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 $873 in Tripoli and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $135 per month in Tripoli and $198 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 $873, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.