Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Bayda and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Bayda and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $389 in Al Bayda versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $622 in Al Bayda versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $855 in Al Bayda versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Al Bayda costs roughly 69% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Bayda 71% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.60 LYD 35.70

$11.99 MX$209

-53.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.31 LYD 104

$41.78 MX$728

-60.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 LYD 35.60

$10.75 MX$187

-48.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 LYD 1.85

Cappuccino

$0.42 LYD 2.70

$3.50 MX$60.9

-88.00%

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

$0.38 LYD 2.45

$1.45 MX$25.22

-73.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.08 LYD 0.53

$0.88 MX$15.41

-90.91%

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)

$0.75 LYD 4.77

$1.43 MX$24.94

-47.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.27 LYD 1.71

$1.84 MX$31.99

-85.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 LYD 9.29

$1.57 MX$27.31

-7.01%

Eggs

$2.46 LYD 15.65

$2.51 MX$43.74

-1.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 LYD 21.76

$8.43 MX$147

-59.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.95 LYD 50.6

$10.68 MX$186

-25.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 LYD 8.60

$2.61 MX$45.43

-48.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 LYD 8.67

$1.44 MX$25.04

-5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 LYD 8.70

$1.96 MX$34.16

-30.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 LYD 3.63

$2.09 MX$36.47

-72.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 LYD 4.00

$1.85 MX$32.24

-65.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 LYD 3.41

$2.17 MX$37.74

-75.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 LYD 6.02

$1.03 MX$17.96

-7.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.13 LYD 0.82

$1.07 MX$18.70

-87.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LYD 3.59

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 LYD 11.84

$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)

$0.95 LYD 6.06

$0.51 MX$8.87

86.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 LYD 5.97

$3.23 MX$56.3

-70.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 LYD 23.01

$3.23 MX$56.2

11.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.18

$1.32 MX$23.00

-97.73%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$11.1K LYD 70.6K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-53.18%

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

$5.46 LYD 34.81

$82.0 MX$1,428

-93.34%

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

$9.12 LYD 58.1

$22.95 MX$400

-60.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.01 LYD 287

$30.11 MX$524

49.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.84 LYD 75.4

$52.0 MX$905

-77.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

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

$27.60 LYD 176

$197 MX$3,438

-86.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.13 LYD 230

$35.60 MX$620

1.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.34 LYD 238

$40.33 MX$702

-7.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 LYD 477

$88.9 MX$1,549

-15.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$131 LYD 833

$947 MX$16.5K

-86.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.0 LYD 471

$474 MX$8,254

-84.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$186 LYD 1,185

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-88.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 LYD 812

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-89.47%

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)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Al Bayda: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $131 in Al Bayda and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $16.00 in Al Bayda vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $98.0 vs $249 per month, with Al Bayda cheaper across the board.

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

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

Al Bayda is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 223% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $583 in Al Bayda and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $131 in Al Bayda versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $27.60 in Al Bayda versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Bayda – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $389 in Al Bayda versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Bayda but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al Bayda the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Bayda is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Al Bayda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 223% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.