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 $666 per month in Banjul vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,180 per month in Banjul vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,693 per month in Banjul vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Banjul is about 49% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Banjul and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Banjul 52% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 GMD 568

$11.71 MX$198

-34.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 GMD 5,704

$46.59 MX$787

66.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 GMD 603

$11.65 MX$197

-29.61%

Cappuccino

$3.88 GMD 285

$4.09 MX$69.1

-5.13%

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

$2.80 GMD 206

$1.37 MX$23.21

104.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 GMD 117

$0.83 MX$14.08

92.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 GMD 428

$3.35 MX$56.6

74.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 GMD 340

$6.91 MX$117

-33.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 GMD 97.0

$1.73 MX$29.16

-23.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 GMD 45.40

$2.26 MX$38.17

-72.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 GMD 95.8

$1.77 MX$29.88

-26.55%

Eggs

$1.99 GMD 146

$2.73 MX$46.14

-27.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 GMD 445

$9.18 MX$155

-33.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.65 GMD 194

$8.92 MX$151

-70.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.44 GMD 400

$12.60 MX$213

-56.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 GMD 145

$3.02 MX$51.0

-34.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 GMD 93.1

$1.57 MX$26.52

-19.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 GMD 129

$2.13 MX$35.89

-17.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 GMD 97.9

$2.26 MX$38.23

-41.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 GMD 64.3

$2.00 MX$33.84

-56.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 GMD 73.8

$2.06 MX$34.86

-51.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.23 GMD 16.89

$1.18 MX$19.92

-80.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 GMD 45.07

$1.20 MX$20.33

-49.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.71 GMD 126

$4.63 MX$78.3

-63.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.27 GMD 461

$10.69 MX$180

-41.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 GMD 110

$1.62 MX$27.35

-7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 GMD 129

$2.88 MX$48.65

-39.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 GMD 15.84

$0.57 MX$9.68

-61.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.40 GMD 471

$29.83 MX$504

-78.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 GMD 51.3

$3.70 MX$62.6

-81.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 GMD 295

$5.98 MX$101

-32.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 GMD 75.6

$1.55 MX$26.23

-33.55%

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

$2,677 GMD 196.7K

$22.3K MX$377.0K

-88.01%

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

$3,223 GMD 236.9K

$25.9K MX$438.2K

-87.58%

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

$30.50 GMD 2,242

$89.1 MX$1,505

-65.78%

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

$14.30 GMD 1,051

$25.04 MX$423

-42.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.33 GMD 3,258

$31.50 MX$532

40.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.22 GMD 1,707

$67.8 MX$1,145

-65.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.70 GMD 1,007

$28.92 MX$488

-52.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 GMD 255

$5.05 MX$85.3

-31.29%

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

$6.93 GMD 509

$225 MX$3,798

-96.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$137 GMD 10.1K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

-96.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 GMD 4,128

$47.44 MX$801

18.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.12 GMD 3,243

$44.98 MX$759

-1.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 GMD 7,283

$82.0 MX$1,384

20.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 GMD 6,507

$92.1 MX$1,555

-3.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 GMD 7,558

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-90.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.5 GMD 6,066

$405 MX$6,844

-79.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$215 GMD 15.8K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-88.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 GMD 10.1K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-89.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,430 GMD 105.1K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-64.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,131 GMD 83.1K

$6,626 MX$111.9K

-82.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$61.5 GMD 4,522

$749 MX$12.6K

-91.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

31.00%

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

Last update for Banjul: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $103 in Banjul versus $1,069 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 1117% 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 $78.0 in Banjul versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $148 in Banjul vs $277 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 94%, 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 $999 per month in Banjul and $1,940 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 $666 in Banjul and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 366% 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 $666, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.