😐A single person spends $1,763 per month in Benidorm vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,604 per month in Benidorm vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,444 per month in Benidorm vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐Benidorm costs about 37% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Benidorm sits 32% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Benidorm
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.05€12.88
$11.94MX$209
26.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.3€44.80
$42.75MX$748
22.43%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.01€8.57
$10.59MX$185
-5.48%
Cappuccino
$2.44€2.09
$3.62MX$63.4
-32.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35€2.01
$1.47MX$25.69
59.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42€1.21
$0.94MX$16.51
51.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.39€2.90
$3.09MX$54.1
9.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.55€3.04
$4.46MX$78.0
-20.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Benidorm
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.12€0.96
$1.43MX$24.94
-21.68%
White Bread(500g)
$1.35€1.15
$1.88MX$32.97
-28.19%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.48€1.26
$1.63MX$28.50
-9.20%
Eggs
$2.82€2.41
$2.64MX$46.26
6.82%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.29€9.67
$8.21MX$144
37.52%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.59€7.35
$8.29MX$145
3.62%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.95€11.94
$11.10MX$194
25.68%
Apples(1kg)
$2.09€1.79
$2.65MX$46.40
-21.13%
Banana(1kg)
$1.79€1.53
$1.50MX$26.26
19.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.04€1.75
$1.99MX$34.79
2.51%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.35€2.01
$2.08MX$36.33
12.98%
Potato(1kg)
$1.81€1.55
$1.79MX$31.29
1.12%
Onion(1kg)
$1.95€1.67
$2.18MX$38.09
-10.55%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.09€0.93
$1.08MX$18.84
0.93%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44€0.37
$1.04MX$18.15
-57.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.37€5.46
$3.97MX$69.5
60.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.39€4.61
$10.20MX$179
-47.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32€1.13
$1.73MX$30.22
-23.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51€1.29
$2.50MX$43.71
-39.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Benidorm
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.86€1.59
$0.52MX$9.07
257.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.02€35.11
$26.97MX$472
52.09%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.57€3.05
$3.14MX$55.0
13.69%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.21€1.03
$2.40MX$42.04
-49.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$24.91€21.32
$3.09MX$54.0
706.15%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.83€1.56
$1.27MX$22.28
44.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.3K€27.7K
$30.9KMX$540.4K
4.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K€28.2K
$23.3KMX$408.0K
41.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Benidorm
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$141€120
$82.0MX$1,435
71.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.45€11.51
$22.45MX$393
-40.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.06€25.73
$29.66MX$519
1.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Benidorm
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.8€44.30
$51.9MX$908
-0.21%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$41.28€35.34
$18.67MX$327
121.10%
Cinema Ticket
$10.04€8.60
$4.97MX$87.0
102.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Benidorm
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$400€342
$198MX$3,462
102.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,399€6,334
$5,273MX$92.3K
40.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Benidorm
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$100€85.8
$36.34MX$636
175.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.32€25.10
$40.05MX$701
-26.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$70.1€60.0
$79.9MX$1,398
-12.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104€88.8
$88.9MX$1,555
16.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Benidorm
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$970€831
$963MX$16.9K
0.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$856€733
$465MX$8,133
84.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,618€1,385
$1,596MX$27.9K
1.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,325€1,134
$1,209MX$21.2K
9.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,397€4,620
$3,942MX$69.0K
36.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,877€2,463
$6,448MX$112.8K
-55.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Benidorm
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,817€1,555
$720MX$12.6K
152.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.13
11.42
-72.59%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Benidorm: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $970 in Benidorm 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.
💰Salaries run about 152% higher in Benidorm, 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 $52.0 in Benidorm versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Benidorm vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Benidorm wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Benidorm vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Benidorm?
Yes – Benidorm is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,645 per month in Benidorm and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $400 per month in Benidorm and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Benidorm and Playa del Carmen?
Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Benidorm – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Benidorm or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Benidorm at $1,763. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Benidorm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Benidorm or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Benidorm or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Benidorm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Benidorm vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado