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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $401 in Sabratha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $595 in Sabratha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $789 in Sabratha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 226% more than Sabratha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sabratha are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sabratha 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.14 LYD 19.82

280.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$9.28 LYD 58.6

410.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$1.61 LYD 10.18

629.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.61 LYD 3.82

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.11

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$0.47 LYD 2.98

776.60%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.30 LYD 1.87

366.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.08 LYD 0.49

1037.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.94 LYD 5.94

78.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.22 LYD 1.39

877.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.13 LYD 7.14

56.64%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.35 LYD 8.49

108.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$4.98 LYD 31.44

84.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.26 LYD 20.55

183.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$9.59 LYD 60.6

31.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.00 LYD 12.63

47.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.55 LYD 9.80

1.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.77 LYD 4.83

188.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.51 LYD 3.24

362.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.46 LYD 2.89

332.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.32 LYD 2.05

518.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.32 LYD 2.03

287.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.15 LYD 0.92

706.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 LYD 11.65

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 LYD 6.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 LYD 5.03

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$1.85 LYD 11.67

148.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.82 LYD 5.20

-26.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.81 LYD 5.10

546.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.30 LYD 1.89

1116.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$0.82 LYD 5.20

604.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.02 LYD 0.14

7600.00%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$23.4K LYD 147.6K

-2.52%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$14.2K LYD 89.6K

81.84%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$95.0 LYD 599

-4.51%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$3.87 LYD 24.40

550.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$13.89 LYD 87.7

128.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$11.04 LYD 69.7

523.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$7.73 LYD 48.76

279.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

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

$226 MX$3,828

$38.67 LYD 244

483.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$607 LYD 3,832

590.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$20.00 LYD 126

136.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$17.29 LYD 109

151.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$55.6 LYD 351

44.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$15.56 LYD 98.2

487.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$156 LYD 985

595.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$78.3 LYD 494

421.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$240 LYD 1,518

720.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$110 LYD 696

1062.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$287 LYD 1,812

1309.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$186 LYD 1,175

3500.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$188 LYD 1,189

310.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sabratha: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $156 in Sabratha. 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 311% 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 $9.00 in Sabratha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $112 – making Sabratha 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 Sabratha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 226%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $601 in Sabratha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sabratha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $401 in Sabratha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $38.67 in Sabratha. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sabratha, where all-in costs run around $401, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Sabratha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sabratha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sabratha. 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.