Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al Bayda Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al Bayda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $386 in Al Bayda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $614 in Al Bayda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $842 in Al Bayda.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 236% more expensive than Al Bayda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Al Bayda 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.41 LYD 34.38

116.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$16.57 LYD 105

151.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.39 LYD 34.26

97.40%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 LYD 1.87

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$0.43 LYD 2.71

718.60%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.39 LYD 2.46

287.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.09 LYD 0.58

977.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.71 LYD 4.48

94.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.29 LYD 1.85

551.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.49 LYD 9.45

10.07%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.40 LYD 15.26

4.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.47 LYD 22.07

140.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.71 LYD 49.02

39.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.42 LYD 9.04

83.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.34 LYD 8.53

8.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.35 LYD 8.62

40.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.53 LYD 3.40

292.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.59 LYD 3.72

201.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.52 LYD 3.33

321.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.88 LYD 5.60

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.16 LYD 1.00

575.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LYD 3.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$1.84 LYD 11.73

121.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.96 LYD 6.11

-46.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.95 LYD 6.06

243.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$3.69 LYD 23.43

-11.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.03 LYD 0.17

4266.67%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$11.0K LYD 70.0K

112.84%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$5.41 LYD 34.40

1431.79%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$9.15 LYD 58.2

142.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$45.69 LYD 291

-35.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$11.81 LYD 75.1

337.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

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

$201 MX$3,480

$27.68 LYD 176

625.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$36.72 LYD 234

0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$36.51 LYD 232

8.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$73.1 LYD 465

19.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$126 LYD 803

669.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$73.9 LYD 470

533.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$182 LYD 1,158

801.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$128 LYD 816

851.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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 2, 2026

Last update for Al Bayda: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $126 in Al Bayda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $17.00 in Al Bayda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $97.0 per month, with Al Bayda 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

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

Al Bayda is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 236% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $579 in Al Bayda 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $126 in Al Bayda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.68 in Al Bayda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Bayda – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $386 in Al Bayda versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Bayda but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al Bayda the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Bayda 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 Al Bayda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 236% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.