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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $442 in Benghazi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $708 in Benghazi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $973 in Benghazi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 193% more than Benghazi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Benghazi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Benghazi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.78 LYD 17.64

321.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$14.40 LYD 91.5

189.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$2.79 LYD 17.69

281.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 LYD 3.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 LYD 2.28

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$0.64 LYD 4.07

450.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.44 LYD 2.76

243.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.13 LYD 0.80

646.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.90 LYD 5.73

53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.23 LYD 1.46

721.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.65 LYD 4.15

152.31%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.32 LYD 8.37

90.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.06 LYD 38.45

37.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.60 LYD 22.86

131.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.52 LYD 54.1

25.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.42 LYD 8.99

83.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.14 LYD 7.23

28.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.67 LYD 4.25

183.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.50 LYD 3.16

316.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.52 LYD 3.31

242.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.48 LYD 3.05

356.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.29 LYD 1.86

258.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.22 LYD 1.40

390.91%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.43 LYD 15.41

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 LYD 4.39

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.69 LYD 17.08

51.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.95 LYD 6.03

-46.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$9.39 LYD 59.6

181.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.89 LYD 5.66

266.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.56 LYD 9.88

59.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$3.96 LYD 25.12

-17.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.03 LYD 0.21

4266.67%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$16.8K LYD 106.4K

80.71%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$15.1K LYD 95.8K

55.35%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$13.99 LYD 88.8

492.35%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$7.16 LYD 45.45

210.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$34.02 LYD 216

-13.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$18.88 LYD 120

173.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$10.24 LYD 65.0

78.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.54 LYD 28.85

11.67%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$62.1 LYD 394

223.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$866 LYD 5,500

501.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$28.08 LYD 178

31.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$29.11 LYD 185

36.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$48.53 LYD 308

61.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$62.6 LYD 397

39.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$189 LYD 1,200

414.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$115 LYD 731

306.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$369 LYD 2,343

344.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$231 LYD 1,466

428.65%

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

$271 LYD 1,720

145.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-54.32%

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 Benghazi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $189 in Benghazi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 145% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Benghazi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $106 – making Benghazi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Benghazi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $442 in Benghazi – roughly 193% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $664 in Benghazi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Benghazi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 134% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $14.00 in Benghazi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Benghazi, where all-in costs run around $442, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Benghazi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $442 in Benghazi to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Benghazi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.