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 $976 per month in Benares vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,574 per month in Benares vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,172 per month in Benares vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Benares is about 23% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Benares and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Benares 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 MUR 316

$11.72 MX$203

-42.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.23 MUR 2,025

$41.89 MX$725

3.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 MUR 305

$10.51 MX$182

-37.96%

Cappuccino

$2.66 MUR 125

$3.59 MX$62.0

-25.91%

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

$1.03 MUR 48.37

$1.51 MX$26.10

-31.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 MUR 26.28

$0.92 MX$15.83

-39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 MUR 99.5

$2.96 MX$51.2

-28.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 MUR 126

$4.41 MX$76.3

-39.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 MUR 71.1

$1.40 MX$24.16

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MUR 32.97

$1.88 MX$32.60

-62.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MUR 60.2

$1.56 MX$26.97

-17.95%

Eggs

$2.23 MUR 104

$2.61 MX$45.14

-14.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 MUR 454

$8.32 MX$144

16.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.09 MUR 285

$8.35 MX$145

-27.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.35 MUR 485

$10.86 MX$188

-4.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 MUR 92.2

$2.71 MX$46.93

-27.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MUR 94.0

$1.51 MX$26.04

33.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 MUR 69.7

$1.87 MX$32.41

-20.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.60 MUR 122

$2.19 MX$37.89

18.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 47.84

$1.86 MX$32.14

-45.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 47.65

$2.23 MX$38.59

-54.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 MUR 37.72

$1.07 MX$18.48

-24.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MUR 26.32

$1.09 MX$18.79

-48.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.12 MUR 286

$4.19 MX$72.4

46.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.22 MUR 385

$10.43 MX$180

-21.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 MUR 84.7

$1.66 MX$28.68

9.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 MUR 102

$2.61 MX$45.19

-16.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 MUR 46.72

$0.54 MX$9.37

85.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 MUR 210

$3.08 MX$53.3

45.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 MUR 122

$2.40 MX$41.61

8.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.48 MUR 725

$3.13 MX$54.1

394.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MUR 68.4

$1.31 MX$22.69

11.45%

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

$35.4K MUR 1.7M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

18.83%

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

$28.4K MUR 1.3M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

21.92%

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

$50.4 MUR 2,361

$81.3 MX$1,406

-37.98%

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

$18.43 MUR 863

$22.56 MX$390

-18.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.92 MUR 1,495

$30.05 MX$520

6.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.06 MUR 1,783

$52.9 MX$915

-28.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$6.14 MUR 287

$4.92 MX$85.1

24.80%

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

$155 MUR 7,258

$201 MX$3,474

-22.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,941 MUR 184.6K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-23.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.62 MUR 2,324

$35.92 MX$622

38.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.59 MUR 2,042

$40.13 MX$694

8.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 MUR 3,790

$79.7 MX$1,379

1.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 MUR 3,759

$86.5 MX$1,496

-7.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 MUR 24.4K

$978 MX$16.9K

-46.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 MUR 16.6K

$470 MX$8,140

-24.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 MUR 44.0K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-43.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MUR 34.0K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-39.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $520 in Benares versus $978 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 $43.00 in Benares versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $213 in Benares vs $252 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: $976 in Benares, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 29% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,464 per month in Benares and $1,890 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 $43.00 in Benares and $42.00 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 $976, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $976 in Benares to $1,260 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.