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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $442 per month in Benghazi vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $708 per month in Benghazi vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $973 per month in Benghazi vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Benghazi is about 66% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Benghazi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Benghazi 67% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.78 LYD 17.64

$11.73 MX$203

-76.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.40 LYD 91.5

$41.62 MX$720

-65.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.79 LYD 17.69

$10.64 MX$184

-73.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 LYD 3.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 LYD 2.28

Cappuccino

$0.64 LYD 4.07

$3.52 MX$60.9

-81.82%

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

$0.44 LYD 2.76

$1.51 MX$26.12

-70.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 LYD 0.80

$0.97 MX$16.84

-86.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 LYD 5.73

$1.38 MX$23.93

-34.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LYD 1.46

$1.89 MX$32.72

-87.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 LYD 4.15

$1.64 MX$28.32

-60.37%

Eggs

$1.32 LYD 8.37

$2.51 MX$43.34

-47.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 LYD 38.45

$8.34 MX$144

-27.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 LYD 22.86

$8.34 MX$144

-56.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 LYD 54.1

$10.73 MX$186

-20.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 LYD 8.99

$2.60 MX$45.04

-45.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 LYD 7.23

$1.46 MX$25.20

-21.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 LYD 4.25

$1.90 MX$32.87

-64.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 LYD 3.16

$2.08 MX$35.91

-75.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 LYD 3.31

$1.78 MX$30.71

-70.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 LYD 3.05

$2.19 MX$37.80

-78.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 LYD 1.86

$1.04 MX$17.99

-72.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 LYD 1.40

$1.08 MX$18.62

-79.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.43 LYD 15.41

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 LYD 4.39

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 LYD 17.08

$4.08 MX$70.6

-34.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 LYD 6.03

$0.51 MX$8.81

86.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.39 LYD 59.6

$26.46 MX$458

-64.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LYD 5.66

$3.26 MX$56.4

-72.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 LYD 9.88

$2.49 MX$43.09

-37.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 LYD 25.12

$3.25 MX$56.2

21.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.21

$1.31 MX$22.61

-97.71%

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

$16.8K LYD 106.4K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-44.66%

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

$15.1K LYD 95.8K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-35.63%

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

$13.99 LYD 88.8

$82.9 MX$1,433

-83.12%

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

$7.16 LYD 45.45

$22.22 MX$384

-67.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.02 LYD 216

$29.34 MX$507

15.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.88 LYD 120

$51.6 MX$893

-63.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.24 LYD 65.0

$18.32 MX$317

-44.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 LYD 28.85

$5.07 MX$87.6

-10.45%

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

$62.1 LYD 394

$201 MX$3,473

-69.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$866 LYD 5,500

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-83.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.08 LYD 178

$36.92 MX$639

-23.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.11 LYD 185

$39.79 MX$688

-26.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.53 LYD 308

$78.5 MX$1,357

-38.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.6 LYD 397

$87.1 MX$1,506

-28.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$189 LYD 1,200

$973 MX$16.8K

-80.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 LYD 731

$468 MX$8,090

-75.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$369 LYD 2,343

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-77.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 LYD 1,466

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-81.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$271 LYD 1,720

$664 MX$11.5K

-59.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

118.91%

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

Last update for Benghazi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $189 in Benghazi 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 145% 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 $14.00 in Benghazi versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $106 vs $249 – making Benghazi 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $442 in Benghazi, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 193% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $664 per month in Benghazi 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 Benghazi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 134% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Benghazi and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Benghazi, where all-in costs run around $442, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Benghazi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $442 in Benghazi to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Benghazi. 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.