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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $329 in Sabratha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $545 in Sabratha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $761 in Sabratha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 282% more than Sabratha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sabratha are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Sabratha 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.72 LYD 30.09

154.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$18.23 LYD 116

129.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.62 LYD 23.09

196.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 LYD 3.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.23

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$0.52 LYD 3.30

573.08%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.49 LYD 3.13

195.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.10 LYD 0.62

780.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.03 LYD 6.57

38.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.23 LYD 1.47

700.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.19 LYD 7.60

31.93%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.44 LYD 9.19

74.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$4.97 LYD 31.66

66.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.28 LYD 20.90

157.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$10.12 LYD 64.5

5.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.21 LYD 14.05

18.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.34 LYD 8.55

7.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.75 LYD 4.79

161.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.52 LYD 3.32

301.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.68 LYD 4.35

172.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.53 LYD 3.37

309.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.39 LYD 2.48

164.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.22 LYD 1.40

386.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.23 LYD 7.86

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 LYD 4.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.20

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.88 LYD 11.97

118.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.94 LYD 6.01

243.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.89 LYD 5.66

170.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.48 LYD 28.53

-27.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.03 LYD 0.17

4300.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$14.0K LYD 89.2K

112.15%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$16.2K LYD 103.3K

45.90%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$31.71 LYD 202

158.63%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$7.99 LYD 50.9

187.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$23.19 LYD 148

29.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.50 LYD 28.67

10.67%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$53.2 LYD 339

271.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$913 LYD 5,813

484.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$21.31 LYD 136

67.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$35.64 LYD 227

13.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$50.9 LYD 324

54.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$56.8 LYD 362

56.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$282 LYD 1,794

1340.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$190 LYD 1,210

3305.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$189 LYD 1,202

246.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

17.5

-34.74%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sabratha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 246% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Sabratha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $117 – 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 282%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $493 in Sabratha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $329 in Sabratha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $53.2 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 $329, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.