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 $611 per month in Banjul vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,093 per month in Banjul vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,576 per month in Banjul vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Banjul is about 51% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Banjul and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Banjul 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.56 GMD 413

$11.99 MX$210

-53.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 GMD 4,789

$41.78 MX$733

54.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 GMD 505

$10.75 MX$189

-36.65%

Cappuccino

$2.52 GMD 187

$3.50 MX$61.3

-28.00%

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

$2.16 GMD 160

$1.45 MX$25.41

48.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 GMD 99.9

$0.88 MX$15.52

53.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.09 GMD 303

$2.95 MX$51.7

38.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 GMD 314

$4.51 MX$79.1

-6.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 GMD 104

$1.43 MX$25.12

-2.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 GMD 39.56

$1.84 MX$32.23

-71.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 GMD 104

$1.57 MX$27.51

-10.19%

Eggs

$2.07 GMD 154

$2.51 MX$44.06

-17.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.19 GMD 459

$8.28 MX$145

-25.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.91 GMD 216

$8.43 MX$148

-65.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.93 GMD 440

$10.68 MX$187

-44.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 GMD 157

$2.61 MX$45.76

-18.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 GMD 94.1

$1.44 MX$25.22

-11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 GMD 139

$1.96 MX$34.41

-4.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 GMD 108

$2.09 MX$36.74

-30.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 GMD 68.3

$1.85 MX$32.47

-50.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 GMD 73.8

$2.17 MX$38.02

-53.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 GMD 17.68

$1.03 MX$18.09

-76.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 GMD 29.61

$1.07 MX$18.84

-62.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 GMD 132

$4.10 MX$72.0

-56.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 GMD 471

$10.17 MX$178

-37.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 GMD 117

$1.68 MX$29.38

-5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 GMD 128

$2.53 MX$44.31

-32.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 GMD 16.32

$0.51 MX$8.93

-56.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.71 GMD 497

$26.04 MX$457

-74.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 GMD 26.70

$3.23 MX$56.7

-88.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 GMD 50.2

$2.41 MX$42.19

-71.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.14 GMD 307

$3.23 MX$56.6

28.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 GMD 84.5

$1.32 MX$23.17

-13.64%

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

$2,717 GMD 201.5K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-90.85%

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

$3,409 GMD 252.8K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-85.59%

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

$32.46 GMD 2,407

$82.0 MX$1,439

-60.42%

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

$15.13 GMD 1,122

$22.95 MX$403

-34.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.78 GMD 3,543

$30.11 MX$528

58.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.52 GMD 1,819

$52.0 MX$912

-52.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.10 GMD 1,046

$18.53 MX$325

-23.91%

Cinema Ticket

$3.65 GMD 270

$4.98 MX$87.3

-26.71%

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

$6.91 GMD 512

$197 MX$3,463

-96.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$140 GMD 10.4K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-97.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 GMD 4,119

$35.60 MX$624

56.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.17 GMD 3,349

$40.33 MX$707

12.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 GMD 7,381

$78.8 MX$1,381

26.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 GMD 6,359

$88.9 MX$1,560

-3.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 GMD 7,607

$947 MX$16.6K

-89.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.3 GMD 4,025

$474 MX$8,314

-88.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 GMD 17.1K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-85.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$142 GMD 10.5K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-88.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,436 GMD 106.5K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-64.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,152 GMD 85.4K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-82.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$61.4 GMD 4,554

$654 MX$11.5K

-90.61%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $103 in Banjul versus $947 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 965% 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 $65.0 in Banjul versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $152 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 106%, 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 $916 per month in Banjul and $1,884 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 $611 in Banjul and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 288% 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 $611, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.