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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $125 in Ajdabiya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $197 in Ajdabiya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $269 in Ajdabiya.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 934% more expensive than Ajdabiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ajdabiya 91% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$8.27 LYD 52.6

33.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$1.44 LYD 9.18

87.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.08 LYD 6.89

39.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$0.74 LYD 4.72

158.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$0.45 LYD 2.85

382.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.48 LYD 3.06

289.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.44 LYD 2.79

406.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.19 LYD 1.22

463.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$1.85 LYD 11.77

124.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.94 LYD 6.00

240.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

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

$22.41 MX$386

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

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

$202 MX$3,471

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$126 LYD 802

653.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$73.6 LYD 468

549.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$270 LYD 1,717

500.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$148 LYD 942

725.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Ajdabiya: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $126 in Ajdabiya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

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

Ajdabiya wins on cost – living expenses run 934% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ajdabiya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,941 in Playa del Carmen and $188 in Ajdabiya to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $126 in Ajdabiya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 425% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $125 in Ajdabiya – a 934% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $125 in Ajdabiya versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ajdabiya but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ajdabiya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ajdabiya delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $125 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ajdabiya hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ajdabiya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 934% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.