Cost of Living Comparison Between Bhairab Bazar and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Bhairab Bazar and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $348 per month in Bhairab Bazar vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $586 per month in Bhairab Bazar vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $823 per month in Bhairab Bazar vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Bhairab Bazar is about 73% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bhairab Bazar and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Bhairab Bazar 74% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bhairab Bazar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.61 ৳199
$11.94 MX$208
-86.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.75 ৳1,815
$42.75 MX$744
-65.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.55 ৳928
$10.59 MX$184
-28.71%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.62 ৳691
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.07 ৳501
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.67 ৳206
$3.62 MX$63.0
-53.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ৳43.67
$1.47 MX$25.54
-76.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14 ৳17.73
$0.94 MX$16.41
-85.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.09 MX$53.8
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.46 MX$77.6
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bhairab Bazar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.79 ৳97.0
$1.43 MX$24.80
-44.76%
White Bread (500g)
$0.59 ৳72.0
$1.88 MX$32.79
-68.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.64 ৳78.9
$1.63 MX$28.34
-60.74%
Eggs
$1.16 ৳143
$2.64 MX$45.99
-56.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.28 ৳1,142
$8.21 MX$143
13.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$1.66 ৳205
$8.29 MX$144
-79.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.28 ৳896
$11.10 MX$193
-34.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.21 ৳272
$2.65 MX$46.14
-16.60%
Banana (1kg)
$0.96 ৳118
$1.50 MX$26.11
-36.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.06 ৳253
$1.99 MX$34.59
3.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.85 ৳105
$2.08 MX$36.13
-59.13%
Potato (1kg)
$0.47 ৳58.2
$1.79 MX$31.11
-73.74%
Onion (1kg)
$0.91 ৳112
$2.18 MX$37.87
-58.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.38 ৳46.38
$1.08 MX$18.73
-64.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.25 ৳30.57
$1.04 MX$18.04
-75.96%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$8.50 ৳1,046
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 ৳104
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 ৳178
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.82 ৳346
$3.97 MX$69.1
-28.97%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$10.20 MX$178
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.73 MX$30.04
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.50 MX$43.46
-
🚌 Getting Around
Bhairab Bazar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.20 ৳24.58
$0.52 MX$9.02
-61.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.22 ৳1,257
$26.97 MX$469
-62.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.84 ৳103
$3.14 MX$54.7
-73.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.24 ৳29.43
$2.40 MX$41.80
-90.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.45 ৳301
$3.09 MX$53.7
-20.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 ৳128
$1.27 MX$22.16
-18.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K ৳4.0M
$30.9K MX$537.3K
6.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K ৳4.1M
$23.3K MX$405.7K
43.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bhairab Bazar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$22.38 ৳2,753
$82.0 MX$1,427
-72.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.71 ৳702
$22.45 MX$391
-74.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.10 ৳1,612
$29.66 MX$516
-55.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bhairab Bazar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$13.36 ৳1,644
$51.9 MX$903
-74.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.89 ৳1,464
$18.67 MX$325
-36.31%
Cinema Ticket
$3.25 ৳400
$4.97 MX$86.5
-34.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bhairab Bazar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$29.38 ৳3,615
$198 MX$3,442
-85.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,376 ৳169.3K
$5,273 MX$91.7K
-73.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bhairab Bazar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$20.33 ৳2,501
$36.34 MX$632
-44.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$18.43 ৳2,267
$40.05 MX$697
-53.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$50.9 ৳6,261
$79.9 MX$1,390
-36.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.81 ৳4,160
$88.9 MX$1,547
-61.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bhairab Bazar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$70.6 ৳8,685
$963 MX$16.8K
-92.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$42.04 ৳5,173
$465 MX$8,086
-90.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$167 ৳20.5K
$1,596 MX$27.8K
-89.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$95.5 ৳11.8K
$1,209 MX$21.0K
-92.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$637 ৳78.4K
$3,942 MX$68.6K
-83.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$435 ৳53.5K
$6,448 MX$112.2K
-93.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bhairab Bazar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$720 MX$12.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.67
11.42
2.19%

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

Last update for Bhairab Bazar: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $70.6 in Bhairab Bazar 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Bhairab Bazar versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $116 vs $251 – making Bhairab Bazar 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
Bhairab Bazar vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Bhairab Bazar?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 269%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $523 per month in Bhairab Bazar 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 Bhairab Bazar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Bhairab Bazar or Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Bhairab Bazar and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Bhairab Bazar vs Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $348 in Bhairab Bazar and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Bhairab Bazar or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bhairab Bazar, where all-in costs run around $348, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Bhairab Bazar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Bhairab Bazar or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Bhairab Bazar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Bhairab Bazar. 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.

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