๐A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,583 in Mฤsto Libavรก, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,279 in Mฤsto Libavรก, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,975 in Mฤsto Libavรก, rent included.
๐Playa del Carmen is about 18% cheaper than Mฤsto Libavรก, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
๐Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Mฤsto Libavรก is 18% above โ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Mฤsto Libavรก
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73MX$203
$9.09Kฤย 189
29.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.62MX$721
$44.04Kฤย 918
-5.50%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.64MX$184
$9.01Kฤย 188
18.09%
Cappuccino
$3.52MX$61.0
$2.85Kฤย 59.4
23.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51MX$26.17
$1.92Kฤย 39.98
-21.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97MX$16.87
$1.42Kฤย 29.62
-31.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.95MX$51.1
$2.23Kฤย 46.45
32.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45MX$77.2
$2.77Kฤย 57.7
60.65%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Mฤsto Libavรก
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.97
$1.13Kฤย 23.64
22.12%
White Bread(500g)
$1.89MX$32.78
$1.42Kฤย 29.53
33.10%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.64MX$28.37
$2.26Kฤย 47.16
-27.43%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.42
$2.97Kฤย 61.9
-15.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.34MX$145
$12.33Kฤย 257
-32.36%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.34MX$145
$9.46Kฤย 197
-11.84%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.73MX$186
$12.98Kฤย 271
-17.33%
Apples(1kg)
$2.60MX$45.12
$1.66Kฤย 34.57
56.63%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46MX$25.25
$1.79Kฤย 37.27
-18.44%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.90MX$32.94
$2.19Kฤย 45.68
-13.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$35.98
$3.53Kฤย 73.6
-41.08%
Potato(1kg)
$1.78MX$30.77
$1.27Kฤย 26.49
40.16%
Onion(1kg)
$2.19MX$37.87
$1.20Kฤย 24.92
82.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.04MX$18.02
$1.56Kฤย 32.55
-33.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08MX$18.66
$0.76Kฤย 15.85
42.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08MX$70.7
$7.02Kฤย 146
-41.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.32MX$179
$6.16Kฤย 128
67.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71MX$29.67
$0.88Kฤย 18.32
94.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58MX$44.63
$1.85Kฤย 38.67
39.46%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Mฤsto Libavรก
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.51MX$8.83
$1.15Kฤย 24.00
-55.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.46MX$459
$25.87Kฤย 539
2.28%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.26MX$56.5
$2.21Kฤย 46.16
47.51%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.49MX$43.17
$1.27Kฤย 26.38
96.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.25MX$56.3
$14.42Kฤย 301
-77.46%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.65
$1.69Kฤย 35.22
-22.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3KMX$524.7K
$28.4KKฤย 592.6K
6.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4KMX$406.0K
$30.4KKฤย 634.7K
-23.03%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Mฤsto Libavรก
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.9MX$1,436
$295Kฤย 6,155
-71.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.22MX$385
$26.45Kฤย 551
-15.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.34MX$508
$21.06Kฤย 439
39.32%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Mฤsto Libavรก
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.6MX$895
$53.6Kฤย 1,116
-3.59%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.32MX$317
$16.50Kฤย 344
11.03%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07MX$87.8
$10.22Kฤย 213
-50.39%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Mฤsto Libavรก
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201MX$3,480
$415Kฤย 8,660
-51.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,212MX$90.3K
$9,869Kฤย 205.8K
-47.19%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Mฤsto Libavรก
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.92MX$640
$82.9Kฤย 1,727
-55.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.79MX$689
$37.80Kฤย 788
5.26%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.5MX$1,360
$95.2Kฤย 1,985
-17.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.1MX$1,509
$113Kฤย 2,352
-22.80%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Mฤsto Libavรก
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$973MX$16.9K
$680Kฤย 14.2K
43.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$468MX$8,105
$571Kฤย 11.9K
-18.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,641MX$28.4K
$1,177Kฤย 24.5K
39.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,221MX$21.2K
$880Kฤย 18.3K
38.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,946MX$68.4K
$4,165Kฤย 86.8K
-5.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,498MX$112.6K
$3,431Kฤย 71.5K
89.40%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Mฤsto Libavรก
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$664MX$11.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
5.45
109.54%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026
Last update for Mฤsto Libavรก: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $680 in Mฤsto Libavรก. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Mฤsto Libavรก. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $257 โ making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Mฤsto Libavรก: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Mฤsto Libavรก?
Mฤsto Libavรก costs about 22% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen vs Mฤsto Libavรก?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,375 in Mฤsto Libavรก. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Mฤsto Libavรก?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Mฤsto Libavรก?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,583 in Mฤsto Libavรก. The difference isn't just one category โ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen vs Mฤsto Libavรก?
Public transport costs about 2% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or Mฤsto Libavรก?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Mฤsto Libavรก at $1,583. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mฤsto Libavรก it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Mฤsto Libavรก?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $1,583 in Mฤsto Libavรก. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Mฤsto Libavรก?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or Mฤsto Libavรก?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mฤsto Libavรก makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared