😐A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,171 in Berat, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,759 in Berat, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,348 in Berat, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 8% more than Berat, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Berat are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen7% lower, Berat14% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60MX$200
$10.23ALL 808
13.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11MX$812
$34.66ALL 2,738
35.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.88MX$205
$8.59ALL 678
38.30%
Cappuccino
$3.98MX$68.6
$1.84ALL 145
116.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43MX$24.60
$1.84ALL 146
-22.28%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82MX$14.22
$1.03ALL 81.3
-20.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.19MX$55.0
$2.80ALL 221
13.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79MX$117
$3.88ALL 307
75.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.89
$2.14ALL 169
-21.50%
White Bread(500g)
$2.20MX$37.88
$1.28ALL 101
71.88%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.71MX$29.45
$2.42ALL 191
-29.34%
Eggs
$2.74MX$47.26
$3.19ALL 252
-14.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.58MX$165
$11.51ALL 909
-16.77%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.01MX$155
$9.07ALL 717
-0.66%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.81MX$221
$17.57ALL 1,388
-27.09%
Apples(1kg)
$2.89MX$49.81
$1.94ALL 153
48.97%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.81
$2.55ALL 202
-41.18%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15MX$37.03
$1.60ALL 126
34.37%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.96
$1.55ALL 123
45.81%
Potato(1kg)
$1.98MX$34.15
$0.99ALL 77.9
100.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.30
$1.28ALL 101
55.47%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.23MX$21.28
$0.85ALL 67.1
44.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20MX$20.63
$0.77ALL 61.2
55.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55MX$78.5
$4.68ALL 369
-2.78%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.37MX$179
$11.38ALL 899
-8.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.91
$1.24ALL 98.3
30.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88MX$49.67
$1.48ALL 117
94.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.35
$0.40ALL 31.34
50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.80MX$497
$20.01ALL 1,581
43.93%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.39MX$92.9
$3.86ALL 305
39.64%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.73MX$64.3
$3.73ALL 295
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.77MX$99.5
$18.91ALL 1,494
-69.49%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.48
$2.23ALL 176
-30.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5KMX$388.8K
$35.3KALL 2.8M
-36.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KMX$449.3K
$37.2KALL 2.9M
-29.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$91.4MX$1,576
$88.9ALL 7,024
2.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20MX$435
$19.32ALL 1,527
30.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24MX$539
$20.96ALL 1,656
49.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$67.2MX$1,159
$57.5ALL 4,545
16.79%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11MX$502
$18.75ALL 1,481
55.25%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$83.8
$9.88ALL 781
-50.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$224MX$3,856
$185ALL 14.6K
20.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,229MX$72.9K
$1,872ALL 147.9K
125.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10MX$812
$49.93ALL 3,945
-5.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29MX$764
$47.40ALL 3,745
-6.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.1MX$1,381
$123ALL 9,700
-34.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7MX$1,598
$113ALL 8,965
-18.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,063MX$18.3K
$500ALL 39.5K
112.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$390MX$6,728
$344ALL 27.2K
13.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,149MX$37.1K
$731ALL 57.8K
193.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,272MX$21.9K
$475ALL 37.5K
167.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,001MX$69.0K
$1,852ALL 146.3K
116.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,502MX$112.1K
$1,255ALL 99.1K
418.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Berat
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$758MX$13.1K
$512ALL 40.5K
48.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
5.5
108.18%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026
Last update for Berat: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $500 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 48% 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 $35.00 in Berat. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $279 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 8%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,756 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $35.00 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 $1,171, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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