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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $971 per month in Benares vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,588 per month in Benares vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,206 per month in Benares vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Benares is about 25% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Benares and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Benares 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.66 MUR 312

$11.94 MX$209

-44.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.77 MUR 2,048

$42.75 MX$748

2.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.43 MUR 301

$10.59 MX$185

-39.28%

Cappuccino

$2.53 MUR 119

$3.62 MX$63.4

-30.11%

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

$0.95 MUR 44.26

$1.47 MX$25.69

-35.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MUR 27.77

$0.94 MX$16.51

-37.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 MUR 97.3

$3.09 MX$54.1

-32.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MUR 130

$4.46 MX$78.0

-37.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MUR 67.8

$1.43 MX$24.94

1.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MUR 32.34

$1.88 MX$32.97

-63.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MUR 61.5

$1.63 MX$28.50

-19.02%

Eggs

$2.25 MUR 105

$2.64 MX$46.26

-14.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 MUR 470

$8.21 MX$144

22.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.08 MUR 284

$8.29 MX$145

-26.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.29 MUR 481

$11.10 MX$194

-7.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 MUR 93.2

$2.65 MX$46.40

-24.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 MUR 89.3

$1.50 MX$26.26

27.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 MUR 70.1

$1.99 MX$34.79

-24.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.65 MUR 124

$2.08 MX$36.33

27.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MUR 45.75

$1.79 MX$31.29

-45.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 MUR 43.67

$2.18 MX$38.09

-57.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 MUR 37.48

$1.08 MX$18.84

-25.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MUR 26.81

$1.04 MX$18.15

-45.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.12 MUR 286

$3.97 MX$69.5

54.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.43 MUR 394

$10.20 MX$179

-17.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MUR 81.3

$1.73 MX$30.22

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 MUR 99.4

$2.50 MX$43.71

-15.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 MUR 49.12

$0.52 MX$9.07

101.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 MUR 207

$3.14 MX$55.0

40.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 MUR 124

$2.40 MX$42.04

10.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.14 MUR 709

$3.09 MX$54.0

389.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MUR 65.2

$1.27 MX$22.28

9.45%

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

$35.7K MUR 1.7M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

15.63%

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

$29.3K MUR 1.4M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

25.49%

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

$49.48 MUR 2,315

$82.0 MX$1,435

-39.67%

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

$18.40 MUR 861

$22.45 MX$393

-18.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.71 MUR 1,531

$29.66 MX$519

10.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.61 MUR 1,807

$51.9 MX$908

-25.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$5.98 MUR 280

$4.97 MX$87.0

20.32%

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

$154 MUR 7,220

$198 MX$3,462

-22.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,949 MUR 184.8K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-25.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.70 MUR 2,325

$36.34 MX$636

36.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 MUR 2,053

$40.05 MX$701

9.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 MUR 3,846

$79.9 MX$1,398

2.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 MUR 3,647

$88.9 MX$1,555

-12.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 MUR 24.4K

$963 MX$16.9K

-45.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 MUR 16.7K

$465 MX$8,133

-23.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$936 MUR 43.8K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-41.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 MUR 33.3K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-41.16%

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 %)

6.25

11.42

-45.27%

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

Last update for Benares: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $521 in Benares versus $963 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Benares versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Benares vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Benares 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $971 in Benares, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 33% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,456 per month in Benares and $1,930 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 Benares, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Benares and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 Benares, where all-in costs run around $971, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Benares it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $971 in Benares to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Benares. 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.