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 $502 per month in Tripoli vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $794 per month in Tripoli vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,085 per month in Tripoli vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tripoli is about 61% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tripoli and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tripoli 63% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.50 LYD 28.60

$11.73 MX$203

-61.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.44 LYD 117

$41.62 MX$721

-55.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 LYD 23.52

$10.64 MX$184

-65.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.58 LYD 3.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.18

Cappuccino

$0.48 LYD 3.05

$3.52 MX$61.0

-86.36%

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

$0.48 LYD 3.08

$1.51 MX$26.17

-68.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 LYD 0.76

$0.97 MX$16.87

-87.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 LYD 6.23

$1.38 MX$23.97

-28.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 LYD 1.33

$1.89 MX$32.78

-88.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 LYD 7.85

$1.64 MX$28.37

-25.00%

Eggs

$1.45 LYD 9.25

$2.51 MX$43.42

-42.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.87 LYD 30.94

$8.34 MX$145

-41.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 LYD 20.64

$8.34 MX$145

-61.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 LYD 66.0

$10.73 MX$186

-3.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 LYD 13.92

$2.60 MX$45.12

-15.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 LYD 8.17

$1.46 MX$25.25

-12.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 LYD 4.95

$1.90 MX$32.94

-58.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 LYD 3.33

$2.08 MX$35.98

-75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 LYD 4.14

$1.78 MX$30.77

-63.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 LYD 3.58

$2.19 MX$37.87

-74.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 LYD 2.42

$1.04 MX$18.02

-63.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 LYD 1.40

$1.08 MX$18.66

-79.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 LYD 8.11

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 LYD 4.49

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.11

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 LYD 11.86

$4.08 MX$70.7

-54.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 LYD 1.85

$0.51 MX$8.83

-43.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.42 LYD 136

$26.46 MX$459

-19.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 LYD 6.02

$3.26 MX$56.5

-70.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 LYD 5.41

$2.49 MX$43.17

-65.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 LYD 28.54

$3.25 MX$56.3

38.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.17

$1.31 MX$22.65

-97.71%

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

$13.9K LYD 88.2K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-54.20%

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

$16.6K LYD 105.6K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-29.15%

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

$31.84 LYD 202

$82.9 MX$1,436

-61.58%

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

$8.02 LYD 51.0

$22.22 MX$385

-63.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.67 LYD 144

$29.34 MX$508

-22.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.49 LYD 181

$51.6 MX$895

-44.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.20 LYD 77.6

$18.32 MX$317

-33.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 LYD 29.35

$5.07 MX$87.8

-8.88%

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

$52.4 LYD 333

$201 MX$3,480

-73.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$914 LYD 5,812

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-82.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.51 LYD 137

$36.92 MX$640

-41.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.82 LYD 228

$39.79 MX$689

-9.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.76 LYD 316

$78.5 MX$1,360

-36.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 LYD 351

$87.1 MX$1,509

-36.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 LYD 1,316

$973 MX$16.9K

-78.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 LYD 780

$468 MX$8,105

-73.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 LYD 2,496

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-76.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 LYD 1,434

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-81.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 LYD 1,574

$664 MX$11.5K

-62.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.5

11.42

53.24%

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

Last update for Tripoli: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $207 in Tripoli 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 168% 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 $18.00 in Tripoli versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $116 vs $249 – 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 158%, 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 $753 per month in Tripoli 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 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 $502 in Tripoli 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 24% less in Tripoli. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tripoli, where all-in costs run around $502, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.