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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,003 in Batroun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,576 in Batroun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,150 in Batroun.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 30% more expensive than in Batroun, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Batroun 27% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Batroun
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 MX$203
$11.96 LBP 1.1M
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38 MX$804
$64.4 LBP 5.8M
-26.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.75 MX$199
$10.10 LBP 903.6K
16.34%
Cappuccino
$4.12 MX$70.0
$4.73 LBP 423.3K
-12.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MX$23.74
$2.31 LBP 207.0K
-39.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.48
$0.83 LBP 74.2K
9.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$54.4
$4.87 LBP 436.0K
-34.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07 MX$120
$4.94 LBP 441.9K
43.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Batroun
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.44
$1.87 LBP 167.3K
-10.16%
White Bread (500g)
$2.15 MX$36.48
$0.83 LBP 74.1K
159.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$30.10
$2.24 LBP 200.5K
-20.98%
Eggs
$2.82 MX$47.76
$3.51 LBP 314.6K
-19.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 MX$156
$13.58 LBP 1.2M
-32.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.23 MX$157
$10.43 LBP 933.5K
-11.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.64 MX$214
$14.40 LBP 1.3M
-12.22%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 MX$50.1
$3.05 LBP 272.8K
-3.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MX$26.79
$1.70 LBP 151.8K
-7.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 MX$37.70
$1.61 LBP 144.3K
37.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 MX$40.09
$1.54 LBP 138.1K
53.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 MX$33.81
$1.34 LBP 119.9K
48.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 MX$33.58
$1.68 LBP 150.8K
17.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 MX$21.04
$1.20 LBP 107.8K
3.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$20.55
$0.73 LBP 65.7K
65.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60 MX$78.1
$2.95 LBP 263.8K
55.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.52 MX$178
$10.19 LBP 911.6K
3.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 MX$28.70
$1.28 LBP 114.4K
32.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 MX$47.06
$2.46 LBP 220.3K
12.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Batroun
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.22
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.70 MX$504
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.24 MX$88.8
$4.97 LBP 445.1K
5.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.65 MX$61.9
$2.20 LBP 197.0K
65.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.78 MX$98.1
$22.70 LBP 2.0M
-74.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.09
$1.00 LBP 89.8K
54.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K MX$386.8K
$52.7K LBP 4.7B
-56.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K MX$437.9K
$32.4K LBP 2.9B
-20.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Batroun
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.7 MX$1,538
$232 LBP 20.8M
-60.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19 MX$427
$23.66 LBP 2.1M
6.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75 MX$539
$37.69 LBP 3.4M
-15.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Batroun
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.8 MX$1,167
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37 MX$498
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$82.5
$9.98 LBP 893.5K
-51.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Batroun
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$226 MX$3,828
$691 LBP 61.8M
-67.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,194 MX$71.1K
$10.7K LBP 961.9M
-60.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Batroun
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38 MX$804
$68.3 LBP 6.1M
-30.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45 MX$737
$48.94 LBP 4.4M
-11.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.2 MX$1,361
$136 LBP 12.2M
-40.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,550
$120 LBP 10.8M
-24.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Batroun
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 MX$18.4K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$409 MX$6,933
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,972 MX$33.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 MX$21.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,046 MX$68.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,704 MX$113.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Batroun
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$773 MX$13.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
11
4.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Batroun: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $64.0 in Batroun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $278 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Batroun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and in Batroun?
Playa del Carmen and Batroun differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $1,003 including rent). Batroun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Batroun?
You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $1,504 in Batroun 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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Batroun?
All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,003 in Batroun – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,003 in Batroun versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Batroun but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Batroun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Batroun?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Batroun?
Expats usually find Batroun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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