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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,437 in Beirut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,353 in Beirut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,269 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 3% below, Beirut is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.76 LBP 963.0K

9.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$59.7 LBP 5.3M

-30.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.04 LBP 720.0K

32.34%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.27 LBP 292.4K

7.65%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.58 LBP 141.4K

-4.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.92 LBP 82.4K

5.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.45 LBP 308.9K

-14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$5.06 LBP 453.3K

-12.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

-22.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.85 LBP 76.5K

122.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.82 LBP 163.3K

-9.89%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.19 LBP 285.4K

-21.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

-27.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.60 LBP 859.6K

-13.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

-5.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.73 LBP 154.6K

50.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.45 LBP 129.4K

0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

65.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.08 LBP 96.9K

92.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

79.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

110.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.81 LBP 72.8K

28.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.46 LBP 220.6K

65.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$9.95 LBP 890.6K

3.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

37.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.20 LBP 197.3K

17.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.96 LBP 175.4K

-73.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

-62.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$4.94 LBP 442.2K

-34.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.28 LBP 114.5K

94.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

-83.68%

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

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

-13.04%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$27.6K LBP 2.5B

-15.10%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$218 LBP 19.5M

-61.91%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$37.46 LBP 3.4M

-40.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$37.30 LBP 3.3M

-21.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$68.4 LBP 6.1M

-24.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$29.84 LBP 2.7M

-38.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$8.13 LBP 727.3K

-37.64%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$297 LBP 26.6M

-32.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,404 LBP 394.1M

18.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$71.6 LBP 6.4M

-48.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$44.80 LBP 4.0M

-11.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$120 LBP 10.8M

-34.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$95.5 LBP 8.6M

-8.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$809 LBP 72.4M

20.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$370 LBP 33.1M

26.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,023 LBP 181.0M

-18.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$950 LBP 85.0M

28.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$3,685 LBP 329.8M

7.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,978 LBP 177.1M

228.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$651 LBP 58.2M

2.05%

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 Beirut: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $809 in Beirut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $60.0 in Beirut. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $236, 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.

Playa del Carmen pays 2% more on average, 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $809 in Beirut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,437 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 169% less than in Beirut. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,437 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.