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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $421 in Misrata versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $683 in Misrata versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $946 in Misrata versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Misrata costs roughly 67% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Misrata 68% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.67 LYD 17.04

$11.72 MX$203

-77.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.10 LYD 70.8

$41.89 MX$725

-73.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.61 LYD 23.04

$10.51 MX$182

-65.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 LYD 3.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 LYD 2.87

Cappuccino

$0.48 LYD 3.05

$3.59 MX$62.0

-86.63%

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

$0.49 LYD 3.12

$1.51 MX$26.10

-67.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 LYD 0.71

$0.92 MX$15.83

-88.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 LYD 5.67

$1.40 MX$24.16

-36.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 LYD 1.34

$1.88 MX$32.60

-88.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 LYD 6.15

$1.56 MX$26.97

-38.46%

Eggs

$1.08 LYD 6.91

$2.61 MX$45.14

-58.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.59 LYD 29.27

$8.32 MX$144

-44.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.16 LYD 13.76

$8.35 MX$145

-74.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 LYD 59.0

$10.86 MX$188

-14.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 LYD 10.02

$2.71 MX$46.93

-42.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 LYD 8.00

$1.51 MX$26.04

-17.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 LYD 4.87

$1.87 MX$32.41

-59.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 LYD 3.36

$2.19 MX$37.89

-75.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 LYD 4.43

$1.86 MX$32.14

-62.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 LYD 3.61

$2.23 MX$38.59

-74.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 LYD 2.63

$1.07 MX$18.48

-61.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 LYD 1.40

$1.09 MX$18.79

-79.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.26 LYD 8.06

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 LYD 4.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 LYD 4.08

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.87 LYD 11.89

$4.19 MX$72.4

-55.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 LYD 3.42

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.6 LYD 406

$26.16 MX$453

143.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 LYD 6.14

$3.08 MX$53.3

-68.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 LYD 3.69

$2.40 MX$41.61

-75.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 LYD 28.44

$3.13 MX$54.1

42.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.22

$1.31 MX$22.69

-97.71%

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

$13.9K LYD 88.4K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-53.45%

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

$16.1K LYD 102.8K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-30.82%

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

$32.32 LYD 206

$81.3 MX$1,406

-60.24%

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

$4.16 LYD 26.49

$22.56 MX$390

-81.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.48 LYD 86.0

$30.05 MX$520

-55.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.92 LYD 121

$52.9 MX$915

-64.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.02 LYD 57.5

$18.39 MX$318

-50.95%

Cinema Ticket

$2.76 LYD 17.59

$4.92 MX$85.1

-43.90%

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

$52.4 LYD 334

$201 MX$3,474

-73.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$832 LYD 5,303

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-83.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.63 LYD 138

$35.92 MX$622

-39.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.54 LYD 67.2

$40.13 MX$694

-73.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.17 LYD 218

$79.7 MX$1,379

-57.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.57 LYD 265

$86.5 MX$1,496

-51.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 LYD 1,282

$978 MX$16.9K

-79.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.2 LYD 581

$470 MX$8,140

-80.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$372 LYD 2,374

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-77.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 LYD 1,169

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-84.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$498 LYD 3,174

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-87.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$103 LYD 658

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-98.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$396 LYD 2,525

$677 MX$11.7K

-41.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

11.42

19.09%

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

Last update for Misrata: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Misrata and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 71% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $11.00 in Misrata vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $100 vs $252 per month, with Misrata 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

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

Misrata is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 199% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 71% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $201 in Misrata versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $421 per month in Misrata versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 199% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Misrata runs roughly 143% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $421 in Misrata versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Misrata but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Misrata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Misrata 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 Misrata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 199% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.