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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $741 per month in Tunis vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,159 per month in Tunis vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,578 per month in Tunis vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tunis is about 41% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tunis and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tunis 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 TND 14.37

$11.67 MX$202

-57.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.85 TND 74.4

$41.88 MX$725

-38.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 TND 14.59

$10.40 MX$180

-51.25%

Cappuccino

$1.02 TND 2.94

$3.61 MX$62.6

-71.75%

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

$0.70 TND 2.01

$1.47 MX$25.44

-52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 TND 0.81

$0.91 MX$15.79

-69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 TND 4.94

$3.03 MX$52.5

-43.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 TND 7.88

$4.47 MX$77.4

-38.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.46 TND 1.32

$1.38 MX$23.82

-66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 TND 0.56

$1.84 MX$31.91

-89.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 TND 5.01

$1.61 MX$27.80

8.07%

Eggs

$1.49 TND 4.30

$2.57 MX$44.49

-42.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 TND 29.98

$8.49 MX$147

22.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 TND 17.33

$8.49 MX$147

-29.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.37 TND 41.39

$10.99 MX$190

30.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 TND 5.80

$2.73 MX$47.23

-26.37%

Banana (1kg)

$3.66 TND 10.54

$1.50 MX$25.90

144.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 TND 3.28

$1.96 MX$33.91

-41.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 TND 2.02

$2.12 MX$36.68

-66.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.15

$1.86 MX$32.28

-59.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 TND 1.82

$2.17 MX$37.65

-70.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 TND 1.25

$1.07 MX$18.58

-59.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.83

$1.05 MX$18.17

-72.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 TND 9.83

$4.19 MX$72.6

-18.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.16 TND 20.61

$10.28 MX$178

-30.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 TND 3.74

$1.67 MX$28.85

-22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 TND 4.56

$2.49 MX$43.09

-36.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 TND 1.02

$0.54 MX$9.37

-35.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.17 TND 40.82

$26.27 MX$455

-46.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.93

$3.10 MX$53.8

-89.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TND 0.88

$2.46 MX$42.64

-87.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 TND 9.52

$3.24 MX$56.0

1.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 TND 2.57

$1.26 MX$21.82

-29.37%

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

$41.2K TND 118.8K

$30.2K MX$522.5K

36.71%

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

$38.4K TND 110.7K

$23.4K MX$406.1K

63.97%

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

$59.3 TND 171

$84.0 MX$1,455

-29.36%

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

$10.09 TND 29.07

$22.21 MX$385

-54.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.37 TND 61.6

$29.65 MX$514

-27.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.41 TND 99.1

$52.6 MX$912

-34.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.28 TND 41.12

$18.34 MX$318

-22.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.48 TND 15.77

$4.95 MX$85.7

10.71%

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

$110 TND 318

$198 MX$3,436

-44.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,284 TND 9,457

$5,322 MX$92.2K

-38.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.60 TND 131

$35.95 MX$623

26.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 TND 172

$40.06 MX$694

48.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 TND 276

$78.8 MX$1,365

21.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 TND 228

$86.5 MX$1,498

-8.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 TND 784

$977 MX$16.9K

-72.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 TND 508

$471 MX$8,153

-62.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 TND 1,425

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-68.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 TND 841

$1,215 MX$21.0K

-75.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,378 TND 3,970

$4,032 MX$69.8K

-65.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$751 TND 2,163

$6,579 MX$113.9K

-88.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$384 TND 1,106

$714 MX$12.4K

-46.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.96

11.42

-4.03%

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

Last update for Tunis: April 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $272 in Tunis versus $977 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 86% 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 $26 in Tunis versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $252 – making Tunis 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 70%, 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 $1,111 per month in Tunis and $1,891 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 Tunis, 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 $741 in Tunis and $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 85% less in Tunis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tunis, where all-in costs run around $741, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Tunis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tunis – 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 Tunis. 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.