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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $424 in Benghazi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $722 in Benghazi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,021 in Benghazi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 205% more than Benghazi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Benghazi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Benghazi 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$2.42 LYD 15.31

383.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$12.52 LYD 79.3

272.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$2.37 LYD 15.01

391.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 LYD 13.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LYD 2.57

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$0.64 LYD 4.07

539.06%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.44 LYD 2.77

211.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.13 LYD 0.83

538.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$0.82 LYD 5.22

110.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$0.19 LYD 1.20

1089.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.35 LYD 8.54

31.11%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$1.66 LYD 10.49

64.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$6.33 LYD 40.11

45.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$2.74 LYD 17.34

225.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$11.59 LYD 73.4

8.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.27 LYD 14.39

33.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.73 LYD 10.94

-9.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$1.15 LYD 7.26

85.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$0.75 LYD 4.77

201.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$0.86 LYD 5.47

132.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$0.65 LYD 4.13

216.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.34 LYD 2.17

247.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.23 LYD 1.46

421.74%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.39 LYD 15.12

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LYD 3.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 LYD 5.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$1.91 LYD 12.08

142.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$1.60 LYD 10.11

240.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.30 LYD 1.88

1133.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$0.02 LYD 0.11

7650.00%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$12.8K LYD 81.1K

74.41%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$14.9K LYD 94.6K

73.69%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

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

$25.04 MX$423

$4.55 LYD 28.83

450.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$19.14 LYD 121

64.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$17.52 LYD 111

286.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$3.96 LYD 25.07

630.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$6.42 LYD 40.66

-21.34%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$77.3 LYD 489

191.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$358 LYD 2,269

1078.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$42.91 LYD 272

10.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$34.87 LYD 221

28.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$44.06 LYD 279

86.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$68.2 LYD 432

35.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$192 LYD 1,213

458.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$120 LYD 760

237.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$429 LYD 2,718

350.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$259 LYD 1,640

402.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$267 LYD 1,692

180.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Benghazi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $192 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 180% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Benghazi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $128 – 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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, $424 in Benghazi – roughly 205% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $636 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $424 in Benghazi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $77.3 in Benghazi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Benghazi, where all-in costs run around $424, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $424 in Benghazi to $1,293 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.