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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,655 in Beirut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,680 in Beirut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,705 in Beirut.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 21% less than in Beirut, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Beirut is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$12.16 LBP 1.1M

-1.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$63.7 LBP 5.7M

-25.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$10.05 LBP 899.8K

16.92%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$4.67 LBP 417.8K

-11.78%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.36 LBP 210.9K

-40.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.89 LBP 79.4K

2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$4.98 LBP 446.0K

-35.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$5.05 LBP 451.9K

40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.93 LBP 172.6K

-12.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.89 LBP 79.6K

141.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.14 LBP 192.0K

-17.29%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.65 LBP 326.4K

-22.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$13.65 LBP 1.2M

-32.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$10.78 LBP 965.1K

-14.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$14.25 LBP 1.3M

-11.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.08 LBP 275.6K

-4.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.70 LBP 152.1K

-7.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.66 LBP 148.8K

33.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.49 LBP 133.1K

58.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.36 LBP 121.3K

46.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.66 LBP 148.5K

19.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.17 LBP 104.7K

5.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.74 LBP 66.2K

63.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.03 LBP 271.5K

51.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$9.80 LBP 877.2K

7.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.31 LBP 117.4K

29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.49 LBP 222.5K

11.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$2.24 LBP 200.2K

-73.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$77.1 LBP 6.9M

-61.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$4.88 LBP 436.8K

7.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$2.30 LBP 206.3K

58.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$22.46 LBP 2.0M

-74.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.00 LBP 89.9K

54.00%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$52.5K LBP 4.7B

-56.60%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$32.5K LBP 2.9B

-20.55%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$227 LBP 20.4M

-60.12%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$23.70 LBP 2.1M

6.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$38.37 LBP 3.4M

-17.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$84.7 LBP 7.6M

-18.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$34.38 LBP 3.1M

-14.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$10.15 LBP 908.6K

-52.12%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$680 LBP 60.9M

-66.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$10.8K LBP 967.7M

-61.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$68.6 LBP 6.1M

-30.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$49.01 LBP 4.4M

-11.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$138 LBP 12.4M

-41.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$121 LBP 10.8M

-24.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$929 LBP 83.1M

16.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$504 LBP 45.1M

-18.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$2,255 LBP 201.8M

-12.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,058 LBP 94.7M

21.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$3,902 LBP 349.3M

3.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,805 LBP 161.6M

271.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$716 LBP 64.1M

7.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Beirut: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $929 in Beirut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $64.0 in Beirut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $281 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 Beirut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $929 in Beirut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,655 in Beirut – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 160% less than in Beirut. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,655 in Beirut, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Beirut, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.