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: $420 in Misrata versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $681 in Misrata versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $942 in Misrata versus $2,980 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 69% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.70 LYD 17.20

$11.87 MX$204

-77.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.94 LYD 69.6

$42.90 MX$736

-74.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 LYD 23.09

$10.65 MX$183

-65.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.57 LYD 3.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 LYD 2.82

Cappuccino

$0.52 LYD 3.31

$3.45 MX$59.2

-84.93%

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

$0.49 LYD 3.12

$1.50 MX$25.81

-67.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 LYD 0.79

$0.95 MX$16.28

-87.37%

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)

$0.88 LYD 5.57

$1.38 MX$23.61

-36.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LYD 1.47

$1.85 MX$31.70

-87.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 LYD 5.67

$1.61 MX$27.65

-44.72%

Eggs

$1.13 LYD 7.19

$2.59 MX$44.51

-56.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.46 LYD 28.38

$8.26 MX$142

-46.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.22 LYD 14.10

$8.37 MX$144

-73.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.95 LYD 56.9

$10.66 MX$183

-16.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 LYD 9.54

$2.63 MX$45.12

-42.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 LYD 7.87

$1.49 MX$25.53

-16.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 LYD 5.20

$1.92 MX$32.94

-57.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 LYD 3.36

$2.09 MX$35.81

-74.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 LYD 4.13

$1.86 MX$31.88

-65.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 LYD 3.41

$2.26 MX$38.81

-76.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 LYD 2.45

$1.06 MX$18.23

-63.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.20 LYD 1.27

$1.09 MX$18.67

-81.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 LYD 8.22

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 LYD 4.27

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.81 LYD 11.53

$4.15 MX$71.2

-56.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 LYD 3.43

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 LYD 416

$26.94 MX$462

142.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LYD 5.69

$3.13 MX$53.7

-71.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 LYD 4.02

$2.51 MX$43.09

-74.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 LYD 29.98

$3.15 MX$54.1

49.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.21

$1.27 MX$21.88

-97.64%

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

$13.6K LYD 86.8K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-55.07%

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

$16.6K LYD 105.3K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-29.77%

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

$31.66 LYD 201

$83.0 MX$1,425

-61.86%

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

$4.10 LYD 26.08

$22.71 MX$390

-81.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.71 LYD 87.2

$29.46 MX$506

-53.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.94 LYD 120

$51.0 MX$875

-62.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.44 LYD 60.0

$18.33 MX$315

-48.50%

Cinema Ticket

$2.78 LYD 17.69

$4.93 MX$84.5

-43.61%

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

$52.1 LYD 332

$197 MX$3,386

-73.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$831 LYD 5,287

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-84.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.39 LYD 136

$36.90 MX$633

-42.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.29 LYD 65.5

$39.89 MX$685

-74.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.48 LYD 213

$80.0 MX$1,373

-58.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.55 LYD 264

$89.5 MX$1,536

-53.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 LYD 1,279

$956 MX$16.4K

-78.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.9 LYD 578

$477 MX$8,189

-80.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$374 LYD 2,380

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-77.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 LYD 1,161

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-85.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$510 LYD 3,245

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-86.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$101 LYD 644

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-98.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$388 LYD 2,470

$667 MX$11.4K

-41.78%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Misrata and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 72% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $98.0 vs $250 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 202% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 72% less. 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 $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $420 per month in Misrata versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 202% 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 $420 in Misrata versus $1,271 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 202% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.