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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $998 in Byblos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,589 in Byblos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,180 in Byblos.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 29% more expensive than Byblos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Byblos 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$8.10 LBP 724.9K

47.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$41.76 LBP 3.7M

2.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.19 LBP 733.4K

29.30%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.94 LBP 263.3K

23.13%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.98 LBP 87.4K

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

-5.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.25 LBP 111.5K

14.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.65 LBP 58.5K

189.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.60 LBP 143.6K

1.87%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.04 LBP 182.7K

29.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.18 LBP 821.9K

-10.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$8.18 LBP 732.4K

1.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$12.17 LBP 1.1M

-8.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.06 LBP 273.7K

-13.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.04 LBP 182.6K

-26.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.03 LBP 91.9K

93.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.02 LBP 180.7K

2.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.97 LBP 87.1K

84.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

120.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.01 LBP 90.7K

6.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.98 LBP 87.8K

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$4.09 LBP 365.6K

149.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.50 LBP 134.0K

15.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.98 LBP 177.3K

26.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.03 LBP 91.8K

-49.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.92 LBP 82.2K

38.04%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$22.2K LBP 2.0B

39.33%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$22.7K LBP 2.0B

2.79%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$101 LBP 9.0M

-18.75%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$22.46 LBP 2.0M

-0.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$24.83 LBP 2.2M

19.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$37.59 LBP 3.4M

37.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$18.56 LBP 1.7M

0.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$9.93 LBP 888.4K

-49.95%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$403 LBP 36.1M

-50.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,964 LBP 265.3M

77.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$98.3 LBP 8.8M

-63.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$101 LBP 9.1M

-60.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$119 LBP 10.7M

-33.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$153 LBP 13.7M

-41.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$295 LBP 26.4M

226.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$228 LBP 20.4M

104.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$796 LBP 71.2M

100.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$407 LBP 36.5M

196.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,326 LBP 118.7M

197.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$855 LBP 76.5M

654.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$998 LBP 89.4M

-27.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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 Byblos: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $295 in Byblos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byblos pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $42.00 in Byblos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $221 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 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Byblos earns 39% less. 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $295 in Byblos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $403 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 $42.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $998 in Byblos versus $1,287 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 29% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.