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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $209 in Sebha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $288 in Sebha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $366 in Sebha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 515% more than Sebha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sebha are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Sebha 84% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

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

$0.86 LYD 5.43

66.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.77 LYD 4.87

111.69%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.30 LYD 8.24

103.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$8.82 LYD 55.9

25.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.96 LYD 12.41

35.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.36 LYD 8.63

10.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.87 LYD 5.52

128.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.52 LYD 3.30

300.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.52 LYD 3.28

244.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.48 LYD 3.06

354.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.31 LYD 2.00

235.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

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

$1.02 LYD 6.44

135.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.03 LYD 0.19

4133.33%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$25.18 LYD 160

225.69%

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

$22.45 MX$393

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$8.13 LYD 51.6

538.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$141 LYD 895

582.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$99.4 LYD 630

367.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$204 LYD 1,291

684.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$119 LYD 756

913.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Sebha: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $141 in Sebha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

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 Sebha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 515%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $314 in Sebha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sebha, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $209 in Sebha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 240% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sebha, where all-in costs run around $209, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Sebha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sebha – 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 Sebha. 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.