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: $649 in Bentota versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $865 in Bentota versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,081 in Bentota versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bentota costs roughly 48% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bentota 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 LKR 1,381

$11.72 MX$203

-64.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.59 LKR 4,559

$41.89 MX$725

-67.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.44 LKR 2,831

$10.51 MX$182

-19.70%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 891

$3.59 MX$62.0

-25.91%

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

$0.73 LKR 246

$1.51 MX$26.10

-51.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.92 MX$15.83

-58.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 797

$2.96 MX$51.2

-19.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 LKR 1,113

$4.41 MX$76.3

-24.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 597

$1.40 MX$24.16

27.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 178

$1.88 MX$32.60

-71.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 272

$1.56 MX$26.97

-48.08%

Eggs

$2.22 LKR 745

$2.61 MX$45.14

-14.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 LKR 4,657

$8.32 MX$144

66.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.75 LKR 1,259

$8.35 MX$145

-55.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.08 LKR 1,704

$10.86 MX$188

-53.22%

Apples (1kg)

$7.50 LKR 2,517

$2.71 MX$46.93

176.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 291

$1.51 MX$26.04

-42.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.89 LKR 1,975

$1.87 MX$32.41

214.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 LKR 345

$2.19 MX$37.89

-52.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 387

$1.86 MX$32.14

-38.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 LKR 472

$2.23 MX$38.59

-36.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 404

$1.07 MX$18.48

12.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 189

$1.09 MX$18.79

-48.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 LKR 3,388

$4.19 MX$72.4

141.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.86 LKR 4,315

$10.43 MX$180

23.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 LKR 675

$1.66 MX$28.68

21.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 LKR 990

$2.61 MX$45.19

13.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 LKR 68.5

$0.54 MX$9.37

-62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 139

$3.08 MX$53.3

-86.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 119

$2.40 MX$41.61

-85.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 194

$3.13 MX$54.1

-81.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 LKR 417

$1.31 MX$22.69

-5.34%

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

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-11.92%

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

$34.1K LKR 11.5M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

46.39%

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

$61.1 LKR 20.5K

$81.3 MX$1,406

-24.83%

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

$2.49 LKR 834

$22.56 MX$390

-88.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.93 LKR 3,332

$30.05 MX$520

-66.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,142

$4.92 MX$85.1

-30.89%

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

$36.38 LKR 12.2K

$201 MX$3,474

-81.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$439 LKR 147.4K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-91.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.79 LKR 9,326

$35.92 MX$622

-22.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.16 LKR 6,430

$40.13 MX$694

-52.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 LKR 23.2K

$79.7 MX$1,379

-13.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.05 LKR 12.8K

$86.5 MX$1,496

-55.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 LKR 80.9K

$978 MX$16.9K

-75.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 LKR 51.4K

$470 MX$8,140

-67.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

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 %)

16.45

11.42

44.05%

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

Last update for Bentota: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Bentota and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Bentota vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $252 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 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $974 in Bentota and $1,890 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 $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $649 per month in Bentota versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $649 in Bentota versus $1,260 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 94% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.