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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $598 per month in Banjul vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,089 per month in Banjul vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,580 per month in Banjul vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Banjul is about 54% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Banjul and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Banjul 55% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 GMD 391

$11.73 MX$203

-54.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.9 GMD 4,720

$41.62 MX$720

53.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.83 GMD 505

$10.64 MX$184

-35.81%

Cappuccino

$2.55 GMD 188

$3.52 MX$60.9

-27.56%

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

$2.24 GMD 165

$1.51 MX$26.12

48.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 GMD 97.1

$0.97 MX$16.84

35.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 GMD 288

$2.95 MX$51.0

32.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 GMD 311

$4.45 MX$77.0

-5.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 GMD 106

$1.38 MX$23.93

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 GMD 39.20

$1.89 MX$32.72

-71.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 GMD 101

$1.64 MX$28.32

-17.07%

Eggs

$1.98 GMD 146

$2.51 MX$43.34

-21.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 GMD 480

$8.34 MX$144

-22.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.88 GMD 213

$8.34 MX$144

-65.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.88 GMD 434

$10.73 MX$186

-45.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 GMD 156

$2.60 MX$45.04

-19.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 GMD 93.7

$1.46 MX$25.20

-13.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 GMD 136

$1.90 MX$32.87

-3.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 GMD 102

$2.08 MX$35.91

-33.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 GMD 72.5

$1.78 MX$30.71

-44.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 GMD 73.2

$2.19 MX$37.80

-54.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 GMD 19.37

$1.04 MX$17.99

-75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 GMD 31.79

$1.08 MX$18.62

-60.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 GMD 130

$4.08 MX$70.6

-56.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 GMD 489

$10.32 MX$178

-35.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 GMD 117

$1.71 MX$29.61

-7.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 GMD 129

$2.58 MX$44.54

-32.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 GMD 14.75

$0.51 MX$8.81

-60.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.57 GMD 486

$26.46 MX$458

-75.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 GMD 27.14

$3.26 MX$56.4

-88.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 GMD 52.5

$2.49 MX$43.09

-71.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.14 GMD 306

$3.25 MX$56.2

27.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 GMD 83.3

$1.31 MX$22.61

-13.74%

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

$2,773 GMD 204.9K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-90.84%

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

$3,401 GMD 251.3K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-85.49%

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

$32.45 GMD 2,398

$82.9 MX$1,433

-60.84%

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

$14.82 GMD 1,095

$22.22 MX$384

-33.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.22 GMD 3,563

$29.34 MX$507

64.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.25 GMD 1,866

$51.6 MX$893

-51.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.33 GMD 1,059

$18.32 MX$317

-21.78%

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 GMD 264

$5.07 MX$87.6

-29.39%

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

$7.04 GMD 520

$201 MX$3,473

-96.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$139 GMD 10.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-97.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 GMD 4,116

$36.92 MX$639

50.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.94 GMD 3,321

$39.79 MX$688

12.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 GMD 7,229

$78.5 MX$1,357

24.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 GMD 6,414

$87.1 MX$1,506

-0.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 GMD 7,644

$973 MX$16.8K

-89.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.8 GMD 3,905

$468 MX$8,090

-88.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 GMD 16.7K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-86.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 GMD 10.6K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-88.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,461 GMD 108.0K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-62.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,121 GMD 82.8K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-82.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$60.5 GMD 4,468

$664 MX$11.5K

-90.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

11.42

-11.38%

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

Last update for Banjul: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $103 in Banjul versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 998% 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 $64.0 in Banjul versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $153 in Banjul vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Banjul wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Banjul vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 117%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $898 per month in Banjul and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Banjul, 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 $598 in Banjul and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 303% less in Banjul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banjul, where all-in costs run around $598, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Banjul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Banjul – 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 Banjul. 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.