🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $998 in Byblos versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,589 in Byblos versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,180 in Byblos versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Living in Byblos costs roughly 22% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Byblos25% lower, Playa del Carmen4% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Byblos
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.10LBP 724.9K
$11.94MX$209
-32.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.76LBP 3.7M
$42.75MX$748
-2.32%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.19LBP 733.4K
$10.59MX$185
-22.66%
Cappuccino
$2.94LBP 263.3K
$3.62MX$63.4
-18.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98LBP 87.4K
$1.47MX$25.69
-33.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99LBP 88.2K
$0.94MX$16.51
5.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.09MX$54.1
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.46MX$78.0
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Byblos
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.25LBP 111.5K
$1.43MX$24.94
-12.59%
White Bread(500g)
$0.65LBP 58.5K
$1.88MX$32.97
-65.43%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.60LBP 143.6K
$1.63MX$28.50
-1.84%
Eggs
$2.04LBP 182.7K
$2.64MX$46.26
-22.73%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.18LBP 821.9K
$8.21MX$144
11.81%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.18LBP 732.4K
$8.29MX$145
-1.33%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.17LBP 1.1M
$11.10MX$194
9.64%
Apples(1kg)
$3.06LBP 273.7K
$2.65MX$46.40
15.47%
Banana(1kg)
$2.04LBP 182.6K
$1.50MX$26.26
36.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.03LBP 91.9K
$1.99MX$34.79
-48.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.02LBP 180.7K
$2.08MX$36.33
-2.88%
Potato(1kg)
$0.97LBP 87.1K
$1.79MX$31.29
-45.81%
Onion(1kg)
$0.99LBP 88.2K
$2.18MX$38.09
-54.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01LBP 90.7K
$1.08MX$18.84
-6.48%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98LBP 87.8K
$1.04MX$18.15
-5.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.97MX$69.5
-
Wine(Bottle)
$4.09LBP 365.6K
$10.20MX$179
-59.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.50LBP 134.0K
$1.73MX$30.22
-13.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98LBP 177.3K
$2.50MX$43.71
-20.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Byblos
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.03LBP 91.8K
$0.52MX$9.07
98.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.97MX$472
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$3.14MX$55.0
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$2.40MX$42.04
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$3.09MX$54.0
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.92LBP 82.2K
$1.27MX$22.28
-27.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.2KLBP 2.0B
$30.9KMX$540.4K
-28.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.7KLBP 2.0B
$23.3KMX$408.0K
-2.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Byblos
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$101LBP 9.0M
$82.0MX$1,435
23.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.46LBP 2.0M
$22.45MX$393
0.04%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.83LBP 2.2M
$29.66MX$519
-16.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Byblos
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.59LBP 3.4M
$51.9MX$908
-27.53%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.56LBP 1.7M
$18.67MX$327
-0.59%
Cinema Ticket
$9.93LBP 888.4K
$4.97MX$87.0
99.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Byblos
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$403LBP 36.1M
$198MX$3,462
103.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,964LBP 265.3M
$5,273MX$92.3K
-43.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Byblos
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.3LBP 8.8M
$36.34MX$636
170.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$101LBP 9.1M
$40.05MX$701
153.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$119LBP 10.7M
$79.9MX$1,398
49.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153LBP 13.7M
$88.9MX$1,555
71.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Byblos
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$295LBP 26.4M
$963MX$16.9K
-69.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$228LBP 20.4M
$465MX$8,133
-50.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$796LBP 71.2M
$1,596MX$27.9K
-50.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$407LBP 36.5M
$1,209MX$21.2K
-66.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,326LBP 118.7M
$3,942MX$69.0K
-66.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$855LBP 76.5M
$6,448MX$112.8K
-86.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Byblos
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$998LBP 89.4M
$720MX$12.6K
38.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8
11.42
-29.95%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Byblos: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $295 in Byblos and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Byblos pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $42.00 in Byblos vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $251 per month, with Byblos cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Byblos vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Byblos?
Byblos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Byblos or Playa del Carmen?
Byblos pays 39% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Byblos and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $295 in Byblos versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $403 in Byblos versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Byblos or Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Byblos – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Byblos or Playa del Carmen?
At $998 in Byblos versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Byblos but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Byblos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Byblos or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Byblos 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Byblos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.