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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $980 in Byblos versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,570 in Byblos versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,160 in Byblos versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Byblos costs roughly 23% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Byblos 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.96 LBP 712.4K

$11.87 MX$204

-32.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.68 LBP 3.7M

$42.90 MX$736

-2.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 LBP 709.5K

$10.65 MX$183

-25.54%

Cappuccino

$2.98 LBP 267.1K

$3.45 MX$59.2

-13.62%

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

$0.98 LBP 87.4K

$1.50 MX$25.81

-34.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 LBP 90.8K

$0.95 MX$16.28

6.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 LBP 108.2K

$1.38 MX$23.61

-12.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 LBP 55.5K

$1.85 MX$31.70

-66.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 LBP 144.1K

$1.61 MX$27.65

Eggs

$2.14 LBP 191.2K

$2.59 MX$44.51

-17.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 LBP 823.3K

$8.26 MX$142

11.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 LBP 754.5K

$8.37 MX$144

0.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.77 LBP 1.1M

$10.66 MX$183

10.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 LBP 272.4K

$2.63 MX$45.12

15.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 LBP 183.5K

$1.49 MX$25.53

37.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 LBP 90.9K

$1.92 MX$32.94

-46.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 LBP 175.6K

$2.09 MX$35.81

-6.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.7K

$1.86 MX$31.88

-45.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 LBP 87.0K

$2.26 MX$38.81

-57.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 LBP 90.9K

$1.06 MX$18.23

-3.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 LBP 91.2K

$1.09 MX$18.67

-6.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

Wine (Bottle)

$4.02 LBP 359.5K

$10.39 MX$178

-61.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 LBP 137.4K

$1.72 MX$29.59

-11.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 LBP 174.3K

$2.61 MX$44.85

-25.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

$0.54 MX$9.30

81.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 LBP 81.5K

$1.27 MX$21.88

-28.35%

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

$22.9K LBP 2.1B

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-24.55%

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

$22.5K LBP 2.0B

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-4.72%

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

$99.2 LBP 8.9M

$83.0 MX$1,425

19.51%

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

$22.48 LBP 2.0M

$22.71 MX$390

-1.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.19 LBP 2.3M

$29.46 MX$506

-14.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.84 LBP 3.4M

$51.0 MX$875

-25.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.81 LBP 1.7M

$18.33 MX$315

2.62%

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 LBP 901.3K

$4.93 MX$84.5

104.26%

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

$402 LBP 36.0M

$197 MX$3,386

103.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,047 LBP 272.7M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-42.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.2 LBP 8.9M

$36.90 MX$633

168.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$98.9 LBP 8.9M

$39.89 MX$685

148.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 LBP 10.8M

$80.0 MX$1,373

50.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 LBP 13.3M

$89.5 MX$1,536

65.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 LBP 27.0M

$956 MX$16.4K

-68.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 LBP 19.8M

$477 MX$8,189

-53.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 LBP 72.4M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-50.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 LBP 35.5M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-67.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,352 LBP 121.0M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-65.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$839 LBP 75.1M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-87.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$991 LBP 88.7M

$667 MX$11.4K

48.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-29.95%

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

Last update for Byblos: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $302 in Byblos and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byblos pays 49% 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 $250 per month, with Byblos 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

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

Byblos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Byblos pays 49% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $302 in Byblos versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $402 in Byblos 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 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.

At $980 in Byblos versus $1,271 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.

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.

Expats usually find Byblos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.