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: $451 in Misrata versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $723 in Misrata versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $996 in Misrata versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Misrata costs roughly 64% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Misrata 67% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 LYD 18.07

$11.60 MX$200

-75.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.19 LYD 58.2

$47.11 MX$812

-80.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.56 LYD 16.21

$11.88 MX$205

-78.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.64 LYD 4.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 LYD 2.86

Cappuccino

$0.46 LYD 2.93

$3.98 MX$68.6

-88.44%

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

$0.46 LYD 2.88

$1.43 MX$24.60

-67.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.10 LYD 0.60

$0.82 MX$14.22

-87.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 LYD 5.58

$1.68 MX$28.89

-47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.22 LYD 1.40

$2.20 MX$37.88

-90.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 LYD 6.42

$1.71 MX$29.45

-40.94%

Eggs

$1.22 LYD 7.72

$2.74 MX$47.26

-55.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.05 LYD 25.68

$9.58 MX$165

-57.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 LYD 21.06

$9.01 MX$155

-63.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.86 LYD 56.2

$12.81 MX$221

-30.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 LYD 14.82

$2.89 MX$49.81

-19.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 LYD 9.39

$1.50 MX$25.81

-1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 LYD 4.62

$2.15 MX$37.03

-66.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 LYD 3.27

$2.26 MX$38.96

-76.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 LYD 4.54

$1.98 MX$34.15

-63.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 LYD 3.17

$1.99 MX$34.30

-74.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 LYD 2.49

$1.23 MX$21.28

-68.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.18 LYD 1.15

$1.20 MX$20.63

-85.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.19 LYD 13.85

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 LYD 4.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 LYD 5.03

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 LYD 12.39

$4.55 MX$78.5

-56.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 LYD 4.18

$0.60 MX$10.35

10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.36 LYD 249

$28.80 MX$497

36.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 LYD 5.10

$5.39 MX$92.9

-85.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 LYD 2.87

$3.73 MX$64.3

-87.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 LYD 14.94

$5.77 MX$99.5

-59.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.02 LYD 0.12

$1.54 MX$26.48

-98.70%

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

$23.6K LYD 149.6K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

4.67%

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

$13.9K LYD 87.9K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-46.78%

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

$63.8 LYD 404

$91.4 MX$1,576

-30.18%

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

$5.81 LYD 36.85

$25.20 MX$435

-76.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.99 LYD 171

$31.24 MX$539

-13.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.03 LYD 88.9

$67.2 MX$1,159

-79.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.78 LYD 49.30

$29.11 MX$502

-73.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 LYD 30.74

$4.86 MX$83.8

-0.21%

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

$25.92 LYD 164

$224 MX$3,856

-88.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$614 LYD 3,892

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-85.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.96 LYD 133

$47.10 MX$812

-55.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.00 LYD 108

$44.29 MX$764

-61.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.24 LYD 299

$80.1 MX$1,381

-41.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.16 LYD 261

$92.7 MX$1,598

-55.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$145 LYD 920

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-86.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.9 LYD 474

$390 MX$6,728

-80.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 LYD 2,097

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-84.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 LYD 1,385

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-82.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$505 LYD 3,198

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-87.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$103 LYD 654

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-98.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$398 LYD 2,522

$758 MX$13.1K

-47.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

74.67%

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

Last update for Misrata: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $145 in Misrata and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 90% 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: $9.00 in Misrata vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $108 vs $276 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, Getting Around, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 181% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 90% 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: $145 in Misrata versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $451 per month in Misrata versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 181% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Misrata runs roughly 37% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $451 in Misrata versus $1,266 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 181% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.