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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $451 in Misrata.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $723 in Misrata.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $996 in Misrata.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 181% more expensive than in Misrata, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Misrata 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.85 LYD 18.07

307.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$9.19 LYD 58.2

412.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$2.56 LYD 16.21

364.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.64 LYD 4.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 LYD 2.86

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$0.46 LYD 2.93

765.22%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.46 LYD 2.88

210.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.10 LYD 0.60

720.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.88 LYD 5.58

90.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.22 LYD 1.40

900.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.01 LYD 6.42

69.31%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.22 LYD 7.72

124.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$4.05 LYD 25.68

136.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.32 LYD 21.06

171.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$8.86 LYD 56.2

44.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.34 LYD 14.82

23.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.48 LYD 9.39

1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.73 LYD 4.62

194.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.52 LYD 3.27

334.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.72 LYD 4.54

175.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.50 LYD 3.17

298.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.39 LYD 2.49

215.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.18 LYD 1.15

566.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.19 LYD 13.85

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 LYD 4.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 LYD 5.03

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$1.96 LYD 12.39

132.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.66 LYD 4.18

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$39.36 LYD 249

-26.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.80 LYD 5.10

573.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.45 LYD 2.87

728.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$2.36 LYD 14.94

144.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.02 LYD 0.12

7600.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$23.6K LYD 149.6K

-4.46%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$13.9K LYD 87.9K

87.90%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$63.8 LYD 404

43.23%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$5.81 LYD 36.85

333.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$26.99 LYD 171

15.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$14.03 LYD 88.9

378.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$7.78 LYD 49.30

274.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.85 LYD 30.74

0.21%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$25.92 LYD 164

762.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$614 LYD 3,892

588.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$20.96 LYD 133

124.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$17.00 LYD 108

160.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$47.24 LYD 299

69.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$41.16 LYD 261

125.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$145 LYD 920

631.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$74.9 LYD 474

421.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$331 LYD 2,097

549.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$218 LYD 1,385

482.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$505 LYD 3,198

692.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$103 LYD 654

6200.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$398 LYD 2,522

90.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-42.75%

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 Misrata: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $145 in Misrata. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 90% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $9.00 in Misrata for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $108 per month, with Misrata 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 Misrata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Misrata is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 181% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 90% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $145 in Misrata. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $451 in Misrata – a 181% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Misrata runs roughly 37% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $451 in Misrata versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Misrata but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Misrata the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Misrata 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 Misrata gentler on the wallet – expenses run 181% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.