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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $675 per month in Benxi vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $982 per month in Benxi vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,289 per month in Benxi vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Benxi is about 47% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Benxi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Benxi 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.92 ¥19.53

$11.60 MX$200

-74.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.25 ¥149

$47.11 MX$812

-52.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 ¥35.28

$11.88 MX$205

-55.64%

Cappuccino

$2.40 ¥16.11

$3.98 MX$68.6

-39.70%

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

$0.46 ¥3.07

$1.43 MX$24.60

-67.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.93

$0.82 MX$14.22

-64.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.75 ¥5.03

$3.19 MX$55.0

-76.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.66

$6.79 MX$117

-74.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.29

$1.68 MX$28.89

8.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ¥7.74

$2.20 MX$37.88

-47.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.41

$1.71 MX$29.45

-52.63%

Eggs

$1.58 ¥10.62

$2.74 MX$47.26

-42.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 ¥64.3

$9.58 MX$165

0.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.96 ¥19.81

$9.01 MX$155

-67.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.80 ¥59.0

$12.81 MX$221

-31.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.31

$2.89 MX$49.81

-41.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.41

$1.50 MX$25.81

-6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.85

$2.15 MX$37.03

-24.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.73

$2.26 MX$38.96

-42.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 ¥4.10

$1.98 MX$34.15

-69.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.60

$1.99 MX$34.30

-5.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.91

$1.23 MX$21.28

-52.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ¥4.39

$1.20 MX$20.63

-45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 ¥19.85

$4.55 MX$78.5

-34.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.24 ¥55.2

$10.37 MX$179

-20.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.95

$1.62 MX$27.91

-63.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ¥8.76

$2.88 MX$49.67

-54.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.91

$0.60 MX$10.35

-51.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 ¥80.2

$28.80 MX$497

-58.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 ¥5.71

$5.39 MX$92.9

-84.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ¥1.94

$3.73 MX$64.3

-92.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 ¥19.61

$5.77 MX$99.5

-49.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.81

$1.54 MX$26.48

-24.03%

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

$19.0K ¥127.3K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

-15.73%

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

$18.0K ¥120.8K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-30.77%

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

$54.7 ¥366

$91.4 MX$1,576

-40.16%

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

$6.69 ¥44.80

$25.20 MX$435

-73.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.44 ¥70.0

$31.24 MX$539

-66.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 ¥441

$67.2 MX$1,159

-1.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.12 ¥54.4

$29.11 MX$502

-72.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 ¥40.32

$4.86 MX$83.8

23.87%

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

$449 ¥3,006

$224 MX$3,856

100.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,923 ¥59.8K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

111.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.96 ¥201

$47.10 MX$812

-36.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.34 ¥223

$44.29 MX$764

-24.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 ¥404

$80.1 MX$1,381

-24.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.1 ¥356

$92.7 MX$1,598

-42.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$134 ¥896

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-87.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 ¥1,232

$390 MX$6,728

-52.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$260 ¥1,743

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-87.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 ¥997

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-88.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,744 ¥18.4K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-31.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,968 ¥13.2K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-69.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$441 ¥2,957

$758 MX$13.1K

-41.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-65.07%

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

Last update for Benxi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $134 in Benxi versus $1,063 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 72% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $22.00 in Benxi versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $276 – making Benxi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 88% more than Benxi, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,012 per month in Benxi and $1,899 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 Benxi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $449 per month in Benxi and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Benxi, where all-in costs run around $675, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Benxi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Benxi costs $675 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Benxi. 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.