😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,147 in Berat, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,697 in Berat, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,246 in Berat, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 12% more than Berat, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Berat are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Berat14% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$11.64ALL 950
2.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$32.58ALL 2,660
31.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$8.37ALL 683
26.52%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$1.75ALL 143
106.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$1.81ALL 148
-18.78%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.89ALL 72.9
5.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$2.65ALL 216
16.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$3.64ALL 297
22.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.90ALL 155
-24.74%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$1.09ALL 88.8
72.48%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$2.22ALL 181
-26.58%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$2.97ALL 243
-11.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$10.79ALL 881
-23.91%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$7.87ALL 642
5.34%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$15.80ALL 1,290
-29.75%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$1.71ALL 140
54.97%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$2.39ALL 195
-37.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.54ALL 126
29.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.40ALL 114
48.57%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$0.90ALL 73.3
98.89%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.15ALL 94.2
89.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$0.79ALL 64.5
36.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.72ALL 59.2
44.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$4.22ALL 345
-5.92%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$10.57ALL 863
-3.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.21ALL 99.2
42.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$1.43ALL 117
74.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.34ALL 27.52
52.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$18.46ALL 1,508
46.10%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$3.44ALL 281
-8.72%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$3.07ALL 250
-21.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$17.75ALL 1,449
-82.59%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$2.02ALL 165
-37.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$40.1KALL 3.3M
-22.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$36.1KALL 2.9M
-35.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$82.7ALL 6,756
-0.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$17.72ALL 1,447
26.69%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$18.20ALL 1,486
62.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$54.3ALL 4,432
-4.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$25.49ALL 2,081
-26.76%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$9.19ALL 751
-45.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$157ALL 12.8K
26.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$1,799ALL 146.9K
193.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$69.1ALL 5,640
-47.39%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$49.96ALL 4,079
-19.84%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$107ALL 8,776
-25.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$129ALL 10.5K
-30.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$452ALL 36.9K
113.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$346ALL 28.2K
34.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$610ALL 49.8K
161.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$443ALL 36.2K
172.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$1,857ALL 151.6K
112.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$1,205ALL 98.4K
434.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$498ALL 40.6K
44.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
5.52
106.88%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Last update for Berat: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $452 in Berat. 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 45% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $33.00 in Berat. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $253 in Berat – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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 Berat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Berat cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,721 in Berat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Berat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Berat?
Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or Berat?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $33.00 in Berat. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Berat?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Berat, where all-in costs run around $1,147, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Berat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Berat more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Berat – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Berat. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared