😐A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,161 in Berat, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,734 in Berat, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,307 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
$11.87MX$204
$11.92ALL 974
-0.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$33.35ALL 2,724
28.64%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$8.25ALL 674
29.09%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$1.76ALL 143
96.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$1.72ALL 141
-12.79%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$0.97ALL 79.6
-2.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$2.66ALL 217
13.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$3.59ALL 294
28.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$1.91ALL 156
-27.75%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$1.13ALL 92.0
63.72%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$2.15ALL 176
-25.12%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$3.02ALL 247
-14.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$10.70ALL 874
-22.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$7.72ALL 630
8.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$15.89ALL 1,298
-32.91%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$1.76ALL 144
49.43%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$2.40ALL 196
-37.92%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$1.57ALL 129
22.29%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$1.38ALL 113
51.45%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$0.93ALL 75.7
100.00%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$1.15ALL 94.0
96.52%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$0.80ALL 65.7
32.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$0.74ALL 60.5
47.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$4.25ALL 348
-2.35%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$11.11ALL 908
-6.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$1.17ALL 95.3
47.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$1.38ALL 112
89.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$0.34ALL 27.67
58.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
$18.86ALL 1,541
42.84%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$3.46ALL 283
-9.54%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$3.15ALL 257
-20.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$17.40ALL 1,422
-81.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$2.11ALL 172
-39.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$39.3KALL 3.2M
-22.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$35.7KALL 2.9M
-34.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$83.2ALL 6,795
-0.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$17.57ALL 1,436
29.25%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$18.78ALL 1,534
56.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$54.5ALL 4,455
-6.47%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
$25.54ALL 2,086
-28.23%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$9.62ALL 786
-48.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$156ALL 12.8K
26.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$1,782ALL 145.6K
196.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$67.5ALL 5,516
-45.35%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$49.85ALL 4,072
-19.98%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$106ALL 8,656
-24.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$127ALL 10.4K
-29.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$458ALL 37.5K
108.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$338ALL 27.6K
40.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$600ALL 49.0K
174.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$428ALL 35.0K
186.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
$1,948ALL 159.2K
101.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
$1,325ALL 108.3K
387.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
$483ALL 39.5K
38.08%
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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Berat: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $458 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 38% 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 – $250 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,741 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 2% 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 $1,161, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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