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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $993 in Batroun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,492 in Batroun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,990 in Batroun.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 31% more expensive than Batroun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Batroun 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.91 LBP 528.9K

98.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$35.07 LBP 3.1M

18.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.98 LBP 714.4K

33.33%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.93 LBP 262.4K

20.14%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.98 LBP 87.5K

54.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.48 LBP 42.7K

102.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.52 LBP 135.8K

94.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.94 LBP 263.1K

51.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.72 LBP 154.2K

-19.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.48 LBP 43.2K

293.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.26 LBP 113.0K

30.16%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.67 LBP 149.2K

50.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.82 LBP 879.3K

-15.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.15 LBP 460.8K

61.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.15 LBP 908.6K

5.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.48 LBP 43.0K

441.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.51 LBP 134.9K

-3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.51 LBP 46.0K

272.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

105.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.48 LBP 43.2K

270.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.01 LBP 90.6K

116.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.83 LBP 74.7K

25.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.52 LBP 47.0K

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.67 LBP 149.5K

144.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$9.96 LBP 891.1K

3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.03 LBP 92.2K

66.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.13 LBP 190.9K

21.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$2.92 LBP 261.5K

-82.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$69.3 LBP 6.2M

-61.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$4.95 LBP 443.2K

-34.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.24 LBP 110.9K

100.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$20.12 LBP 1.8M

-83.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.90 LBP 80.9K

45.56%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$34.7K LBP 3.1B

-12.69%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$27.3K LBP 2.4B

-14.14%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$216 LBP 19.3M

-61.59%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$37.48 LBP 3.4M

-40.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$37.18 LBP 3.3M

-21.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$15.04 LBP 1.3M

243.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$7.97 LBP 713.6K

129.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.61 LBP 412.5K

9.98%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$127 LBP 11.4M

58.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,472 LBP 400.2M

16.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$60.5 LBP 5.4M

-38.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$45.68 LBP 4.1M

-12.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$119 LBP 10.6M

-33.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$81.2 LBP 7.3M

7.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$298 LBP 26.6M

226.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$151 LBP 13.5M

210.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$711 LBP 63.7M

130.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$299 LBP 26.8M

308.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.16

2.33%

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 Batroun: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $298 in Batroun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $35.00 in Batroun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $180 per month, with Batroun 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

Playa del Carmen and Batroun differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $993 including rent). Batroun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,490 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $298 in Batroun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Batroun – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $993 in Batroun – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $993 in Batroun versus $1,297 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.

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.

Expats usually find Batroun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.