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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,390 in Beirut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,293 in Beirut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,195 in Beirut.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 10% less than in Beirut, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Beirut is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$10.63 LBP 951.4K

12.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$59.8 LBP 5.4M

-30.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$7.84 LBP 701.7K

37.12%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$3.32 LBP 296.7K

5.42%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.57 LBP 140.7K

-7.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.87 LBP 77.7K

1.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$3.48 LBP 311.5K

-15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$4.95 LBP 442.9K

-8.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

-19.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.79 LBP 70.8K

132.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.82 LBP 162.5K

-13.74%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$3.10 LBP 277.8K

-19.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$11.08 LBP 992.0K

-25.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$9.37 LBP 838.3K

-10.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

-6.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.74 LBP 155.9K

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.45 LBP 130.0K

-0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.14 LBP 102.2K

71.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.05 LBP 94.1K

99.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.00 LBP 89.1K

85.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

108.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.89 LBP 79.8K

15.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.53 LBP 47.2K

101.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.52 LBP 225.9K

62.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$10.18 LBP 911.3K

-0.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.30 LBP 116.1K

29.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.13 LBP 190.2K

18.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$1.97 LBP 176.1K

-74.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

-63.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$4.95 LBP 442.8K

-34.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.26 LBP 113.2K

91.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

-83.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.93 LBP 83.3K

41.94%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$34.9K LBP 3.1B

-14.80%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

-15.42%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$217 LBP 19.4M

-62.18%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$37.42 LBP 3.3M

-38.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$37.20 LBP 3.3M

-19.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

-23.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$29.66 LBP 2.7M

-37.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$7.83 LBP 700.5K

-36.40%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$305 LBP 27.3M

-35.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$4,511 LBP 403.7M

18.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$69.7 LBP 6.2M

-48.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$44.73 LBP 4.0M

-9.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$121 LBP 10.9M

-35.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$94.7 LBP 8.5M

-6.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$789 LBP 70.6M

20.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$376 LBP 33.7M

25.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,956 LBP 175.1M

-15.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$970 LBP 86.8M

24.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$3,944 LBP 352.9M

2.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,952 LBP 174.7M

231.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$715 LBP 64.0M

-8.55%

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 Beirut: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $789 in Beirut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beirut pays 9% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $60.0 in Beirut. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $233, with Beirut cheaper for home cooking.

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 Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Beirut. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $789 in Beirut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,390 in Beirut – a 11% 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 173% less than in Beirut. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,390 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 11% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.