Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Byblos Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Byblos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $992 in Byblos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,626 in Byblos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,261 in Byblos.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 28% more expensive than in Byblos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Byblos 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$9.24 LBP 827.3K

25.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$808

$43.14 LBP 3.9M

9.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$7.06 LBP 631.7K

68.27%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$3.08 LBP 275.2K

29.22%

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

$1.43 MX$24.46

$0.97 LBP 87.0K

47.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.14

$0.98 LBP 87.7K

-16.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$116

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.72

$1.26 LBP 112.3K

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.67

$0.61 LBP 54.6K

260.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.29

$1.55 LBP 139.1K

10.32%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$46.99

$2.16 LBP 193.0K

26.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$8.78 LBP 785.9K

9.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$154

$8.29 LBP 741.7K

8.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$11.77 LBP 1.1M

8.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.52

$2.97 LBP 265.4K

-2.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.67

$2.03 LBP 181.7K

-26.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.83

$0.99 LBP 88.4K

117.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.74

$1.98 LBP 176.8K

14.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.96

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.11

$0.99 LBP 88.4K

101.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.16

$0.99 LBP 88.3K

24.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.52

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

22.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.0

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$3.94 LBP 352.2K

163.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.76

$1.56 LBP 139.8K

3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.39

$1.95 LBP 174.5K

47.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.29

$1.01 LBP 90.4K

-40.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.9

$0.98 LBP 87.8K

280.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$98.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.34

$0.90 LBP 81.0K

71.11%

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

$22.5K MX$386.6K

$22.8K LBP 2.0B

-1.30%

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

$26.1K MX$446.7K

$22.6K LBP 2.0B

15.52%

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

$91.4 MX$1,567

$101 LBP 9.0M

-9.52%

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

$25.20 MX$432

$22.88 LBP 2.0M

10.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$25.04 LBP 2.2M

24.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,152

$38.03 LBP 3.4M

76.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$499

$39.82 LBP 3.6M

-26.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.4

$10.08 LBP 902.2K

-51.79%

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

$224 MX$3,834

$402 LBP 36.0M

-44.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.5K

$2,973 LBP 266.1M

42.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$101 LBP 9.0M

-53.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$759

$99.8 LBP 8.9M

-55.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,373

$121 LBP 10.8M

-33.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,589

$149 LBP 13.3M

-37.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$294 LBP 26.3M

261.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,690

$226 LBP 20.3M

72.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.8K

$815 LBP 72.9M

163.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$397 LBP 35.5M

220.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.6K

$1,340 LBP 119.9M

198.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.5K

$849 LBP 76.0M

665.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$991 LBP 88.7M

-23.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

43.12%

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 Byblos: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $294 in Byblos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byblos pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $43.00 in Byblos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $218 per month, with Byblos cheaper across the board.

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 Byblos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Byblos is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Byblos. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $294 in Byblos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $402 in Byblos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Byblos – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $992 in Byblos versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Byblos but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Byblos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Byblos is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Byblos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.