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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $655 in Bentota versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $874 in Bentota versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,093 in Bentota versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bentota costs roughly 49% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bentota 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,253

$11.94 MX$208

-67.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.29 LKR 4,235

$42.75 MX$744

-68.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 LKR 2,731

$10.59 MX$184

-19.07%

Cappuccino

$2.67 LKR 850

$3.62 MX$63.0

-26.24%

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

$0.74 LKR 237

$1.47 MX$25.54

-49.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 130

$0.94 MX$16.41

-56.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 734

$3.09 MX$53.8

-25.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 LKR 1,089

$4.46 MX$77.6

-23.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 569

$1.43 MX$24.80

24.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 168

$1.88 MX$32.79

-71.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 281

$1.63 MX$28.34

-46.01%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 675

$2.64 MX$45.99

-19.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.82 LKR 4,402

$8.21 MX$143

68.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 LKR 1,144

$8.29 MX$144

-56.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 LKR 1,636

$11.10 MX$193

-53.78%

Apples (1kg)

$7.43 LKR 2,366

$2.65 MX$46.14

180.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 280

$1.50 MX$26.11

-41.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.76 LKR 1,836

$1.99 MX$34.59

189.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 325

$2.08 MX$36.13

-50.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 365

$1.79 MX$31.11

-35.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 433

$2.18 MX$37.87

-37.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 365

$1.08 MX$18.73

6.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 180

$1.04 MX$18.04

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.87 LKR 3,143

$3.97 MX$69.1

148.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 LKR 4,048

$10.20 MX$178

24.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 637

$1.73 MX$30.04

15.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 950

$2.50 MX$43.46

19.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 LKR 69.5

$0.52 MX$9.02

-57.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 132

$3.14 MX$54.7

-86.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 104

$2.40 MX$41.80

-86.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 195

$3.09 MX$53.7

-80.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 381

$1.27 MX$22.16

-5.51%

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

$27.2K LKR 8.7M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-11.88%

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

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

46.80%

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

$60.9 LKR 19.4K

$82.0 MX$1,427

-25.70%

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

$2.48 LKR 789

$22.45 MX$391

-88.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.09 LKR 3,216

$29.66 MX$516

-65.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 LKR 1,048

$4.97 MX$86.5

-33.80%

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

$36.66 LKR 11.7K

$198 MX$3,442

-81.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$449 LKR 143.1K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-91.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.82 LKR 8,862

$36.34 MX$632

-23.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.42 LKR 6,188

$40.05 MX$697

-51.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 LKR 22.0K

$79.9 MX$1,390

-13.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.52 LKR 12.3K

$88.9 MX$1,547

-56.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 LKR 76.9K

$963 MX$16.8K

-74.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 LKR 47.9K

$465 MX$8,086

-67.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

11.42

44.05%

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

Last update for Bentota: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Bentota and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $13.00 in Bentota vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $251 per month, with Bentota cheaper across the board.

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

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

Bentota is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 97% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $982 in Bentota and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $241 in Bentota versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $655 per month in Bentota versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $655 in Bentota versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bentota but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bentota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bentota is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Bentota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.