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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $389 in Al Bayda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $622 in Al Bayda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $855 in Al Bayda.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 223% more expensive than in Al Bayda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Al Bayda 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.60 LYD 35.70

114.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$16.31 LYD 104

156.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.59 LYD 35.60

92.31%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 LYD 1.85

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$0.42 LYD 2.70

733.33%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.38 LYD 2.45

281.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.08 LYD 0.53

1000.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.75 LYD 4.77

90.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.27 LYD 1.71

581.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.46 LYD 9.29

7.53%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.46 LYD 15.65

2.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.42 LYD 21.76

146.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.95 LYD 50.6

34.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.35 LYD 8.60

93.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.36 LYD 8.67

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.37 LYD 8.70

43.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.57 LYD 3.63

266.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.63 LYD 4.00

193.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.54 LYD 3.41

301.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.95 LYD 6.02

8.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.13 LYD 0.82

723.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LYD 3.59

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.86 LYD 11.84

120.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.95 LYD 6.06

-46.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.94 LYD 5.97

243.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$3.61 LYD 23.01

-10.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.03 LYD 0.18

4300.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$11.1K LYD 70.6K

113.59%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$5.46 LYD 34.81

1402.01%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.12 LYD 58.1

151.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$45.01 LYD 287

-33.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$11.84 LYD 75.4

338.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

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

$197 MX$3,438

$27.60 LYD 176

615.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$36.13 LYD 230

-1.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$37.34 LYD 238

8.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$74.9 LYD 477

18.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$131 LYD 833

624.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$74.0 LYD 471

540.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$186 LYD 1,185

783.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$127 LYD 812

850.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al Bayda: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $131 in Al Bayda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $16.00 in Al Bayda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $98.0 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 223% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $583 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $131 in Al Bayda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.60 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 $16.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $389 in Al Bayda versus $1,256 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 223% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.