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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $994 in Batroun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,491 in Batroun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,989 in Batroun.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 26% more expensive than in Batroun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Batroun 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$5.85 LBP 523.7K

104.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$34.39 LBP 3.1M

21.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$8.18 LBP 731.9K

31.42%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.98 LBP 266.5K

17.45%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.02 LBP 91.3K

42.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.48 LBP 43.1K

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.46 LBP 130.7K

102.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.93 LBP 261.8K

53.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.72 LBP 153.6K

-16.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

253.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.32 LBP 118.3K

18.94%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.65 LBP 147.4K

52.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$9.84 LBP 880.4K

-15.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$5.12 LBP 458.3K

64.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$9.92 LBP 887.8K

7.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$0.48 LBP 43.0K

443.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.53 LBP 137.3K

-5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.52 LBP 46.8K

276.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.02 LBP 91.7K

104.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.49 LBP 43.4K

277.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

121.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.86 LBP 77.4K

19.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.53 LBP 47.1K

101.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$1.72 LBP 153.7K

138.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$10.01 LBP 896.2K

1.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$0.97 LBP 87.1K

73.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.12 LBP 189.7K

19.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$3.09 LBP 276.3K

-83.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$69.8 LBP 6.2M

-62.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$4.93 LBP 441.6K

-34.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.23 LBP 110.3K

95.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$20.29 LBP 1.8M

-84.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.89 LBP 79.3K

48.31%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$35.5K LBP 3.2B

-16.39%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

-15.48%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$214 LBP 19.1M

-61.59%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$37.09 LBP 3.3M

-38.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$37.45 LBP 3.4M

-19.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$14.81 LBP 1.3M

250.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$8.05 LBP 720.5K

130.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$4.39 LBP 392.5K

13.44%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$127 LBP 11.3M

56.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$4,488 LBP 401.7M

18.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$60.6 LBP 5.4M

-41.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$45.08 LBP 4.0M

-10.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$120 LBP 10.7M

-34.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$79.0 LBP 7.1M

12.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$298 LBP 26.7M

217.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$152 LBP 13.6M

212.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$707 LBP 63.2M

132.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$300 LBP 26.8M

304.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Batroun: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 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 $34.00 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 26% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $994 including rent). Batroun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $1,491 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: $947 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 $34.00 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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $994 in Batroun – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $994 in Batroun versus $1,256 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 26% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.