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 $505 per month in Tripoli vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $810 per month in Tripoli vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,114 per month in Tripoli vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tripoli is about 60% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tripoli and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tripoli 62% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.49 LYD 28.62

$11.99 MX$209

-62.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.69 LYD 119

$41.78 MX$728

-55.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 LYD 23.13

$10.75 MX$187

-66.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.22

Cappuccino

$0.48 LYD 3.07

$3.50 MX$60.9

-86.29%

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

$0.45 LYD 2.89

$1.45 MX$25.22

-68.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.09 LYD 0.60

$0.88 MX$15.41

-89.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 LYD 6.58

$1.43 MX$24.94

-27.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LYD 1.47

$1.84 MX$31.99

-87.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 LYD 7.49

$1.57 MX$27.31

-24.84%

Eggs

$1.45 LYD 9.24

$2.51 MX$43.74

-42.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.81 LYD 30.63

$8.28 MX$144

-41.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 LYD 21.27

$8.43 MX$147

-60.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 LYD 66.5

$10.68 MX$186

-2.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 LYD 13.93

$2.61 MX$45.43

-16.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 LYD 8.55

$1.44 MX$25.04

-6.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 LYD 4.82

$1.96 MX$34.16

-61.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 LYD 3.29

$2.09 MX$36.47

-75.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 LYD 4.42

$1.85 MX$32.24

-62.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 LYD 3.37

$2.17 MX$37.74

-75.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 LYD 2.47

$1.03 MX$17.96

-62.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.20 LYD 1.27

$1.07 MX$18.70

-81.31%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.22 LYD 7.74

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.21

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 LYD 11.86

$4.10 MX$71.4

-54.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 LYD 1.71

$0.51 MX$8.87

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.56 LYD 137

$26.04 MX$453

-17.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 LYD 6.04

$3.23 MX$56.3

-70.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 LYD 5.43

$2.41 MX$41.88

-64.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 LYD 29.05

$3.23 MX$56.2

41.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.20

$1.32 MX$23.00

-97.73%

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

$13.7K LYD 87.2K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-53.90%

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

$16.4K LYD 104.4K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-30.75%

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

$32.67 LYD 208

$82.0 MX$1,428

-60.16%

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

$8.27 LYD 52.7

$22.95 MX$400

-63.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.56 LYD 144

$30.11 MX$524

-25.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.55 LYD 176

$52.0 MX$905

-46.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.74 LYD 74.8

$18.53 MX$323

-36.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 LYD 28.62

$4.98 MX$86.6

-9.84%

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

$52.4 LYD 334

$197 MX$3,438

-73.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$932 LYD 5,939

$5,336 MX$92.9K

-82.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.40 LYD 136

$35.60 MX$620

-39.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.81 LYD 228

$40.33 MX$702

-11.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.6 LYD 323

$78.8 MX$1,371

-35.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.8 LYD 355

$88.9 MX$1,549

-37.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$212 LYD 1,350

$947 MX$16.5K

-77.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 LYD 764

$474 MX$8,254

-74.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 LYD 2,488

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-76.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 LYD 1,386

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-82.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$243 LYD 1,548

$654 MX$11.4K

-62.84%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $212 in Tripoli versus $947 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 169% 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 $19.00 in Tripoli versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 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 149%, 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 $758 per month in Tripoli and $1,884 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 $505 in Tripoli and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 21% 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 $505, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.