😐A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,151 in Berat, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,712 in Berat, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,272 in Berat, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 9% more than Berat, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Berat are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen5% lower, Berat14% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.72MX$203
$11.73ALL 953
-0.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.89MX$725
$33.42ALL 2,716
25.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.51MX$182
$8.36ALL 680
25.72%
Cappuccino
$3.59MX$62.0
$1.74ALL 142
106.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51MX$26.10
$1.79ALL 146
-15.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92MX$15.83
$0.98ALL 79.7
-6.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.96MX$51.2
$2.54ALL 206
16.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41MX$76.3
$3.56ALL 290
23.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40MX$24.16
$1.91ALL 155
-26.70%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.60
$1.13ALL 92.1
66.37%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.56MX$26.97
$2.21ALL 179
-29.41%
Eggs
$2.61MX$45.14
$3.02ALL 245
-13.58%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.32MX$144
$10.66ALL 866
-21.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.35MX$145
$7.96ALL 646
4.90%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86MX$188
$15.57ALL 1,265
-30.25%
Apples(1kg)
$2.71MX$46.93
$1.72ALL 140
57.56%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51MX$26.04
$2.29ALL 186
-34.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.87MX$32.41
$1.55ALL 126
20.65%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.19MX$37.89
$1.40ALL 114
56.43%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.14
$0.96ALL 78.2
93.75%
Onion(1kg)
$2.23MX$38.59
$1.15ALL 93.8
93.91%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.48
$0.85ALL 69.1
25.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.79
$0.74ALL 60.4
47.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19MX$72.4
$4.17ALL 339
0.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.43MX$180
$11.11ALL 903
-6.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66MX$28.68
$1.21ALL 98.2
37.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$45.19
$1.43ALL 116
82.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.37
$0.36ALL 29.51
50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.16MX$453
$18.52ALL 1,505
41.25%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.08MX$53.3
$3.56ALL 289
-13.48%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.61
$3.23ALL 262
-25.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$54.1
$17.72ALL 1,440
-82.34%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.69
$2.04ALL 166
-35.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8KMX$515.7K
$40.8KALL 3.3M
-26.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$403.5K
$35.5KALL 2.9M
-34.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.3MX$1,406
$82.8ALL 6,725
-1.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.56MX$390
$17.95ALL 1,459
25.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05MX$520
$18.76ALL 1,524
60.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.9MX$915
$55.4ALL 4,504
-4.56%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39MX$318
$25.37ALL 2,061
-27.51%
Cinema Ticket
$4.92MX$85.1
$9.30ALL 756
-47.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201MX$3,474
$159ALL 12.9K
26.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,175MX$89.5K
$1,737ALL 141.2K
197.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92MX$622
$67.1ALL 5,453
-46.48%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13MX$694
$49.96ALL 4,060
-19.68%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.7MX$1,379
$108ALL 8,734
-25.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,496
$131ALL 10.7K
-34.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$978MX$16.9K
$449ALL 36.5K
117.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$470MX$8,140
$338ALL 27.4K
39.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,651MX$28.6K
$623ALL 50.6K
164.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,203MX$20.8K
$431ALL 35.0K
179.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,953MX$68.4K
$1,838ALL 149.3K
115.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,607MX$114.3K
$1,222ALL 99.3K
440.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$677MX$11.7K
$492ALL 40.0K
37.40%
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: July 27, 2026
Last update for Berat: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $449 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 37% 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 $33.00 in Berat. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $254 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 9%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,727 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 in 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 in Berat?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 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 living in Playa del Carmen or in Berat?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Berat, where all-in costs run around $1,151, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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