Cost of Living Comparison Between Binan City and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Binan City and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $732 per month in Binan City vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,119 per month in Binan City vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,505 per month in Binan City vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Binan City is about 44% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Binan City and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Binan City 47% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 ₱255

$11.96 MX$203

-65.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.51 ₱1,035

$47.38 MX$805

-65.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.75 ₱173

$11.75 MX$200

-76.60%

Cappuccino

$1.77 ₱111

$4.12 MX$70.1

-57.04%

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

$0.56 ₱34.96

$1.40 MX$23.78

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₱21.54

$0.91 MX$15.50

-62.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ₱61.2

$3.21 MX$54.5

-69.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₱99.1

$7.07 MX$120

-77.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₱102

$1.68 MX$28.49

-2.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ₱73.5

$2.15 MX$36.53

-45.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱64.1

$1.77 MX$30.14

-42.37%

Eggs

$2.11 ₱132

$2.82 MX$47.83

-25.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.27 ₱331

$9.20 MX$156

-42.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ₱218

$9.23 MX$157

-62.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.94 ₱435

$12.64 MX$215

-45.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₱144

$2.95 MX$50.1

-22.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₱100

$1.58 MX$26.83

1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₱147

$2.22 MX$37.76

5.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ₱65.1

$2.36 MX$40.15

-55.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 ₱107

$1.99 MX$33.86

-14.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 ₱110

$1.98 MX$33.63

-11.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ₱39.40

$1.24 MX$21.07

-49.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.07

$1.21 MX$20.58

-56.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₱163

$4.60 MX$78.2

-43.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.22 ₱515

$10.52 MX$179

-21.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱60.0

$1.69 MX$28.74

-43.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱125

$2.77 MX$47.13

-28.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ₱16.98

$0.60 MX$10.24

-55.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.26 ₱706

$29.70 MX$505

-62.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 ₱39.47

$5.24 MX$89.0

-87.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.42

$3.65 MX$62.0

-93.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱117

$5.78 MX$98.3

-67.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₱75.8

$1.54 MX$26.13

-21.43%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$22.8K MX$387.4K

-4.93%

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

$19.6K ₱1.2M

$25.8K MX$438.5K

-24.12%

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

$141 ₱8,867

$90.7 MX$1,540

55.96%

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

$16.06 ₱1,007

$25.19 MX$428

-36.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.54 ₱1,977

$31.75 MX$539

-0.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.33 ₱2,027

$68.8 MX$1,169

-53.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.85 ₱304

$29.37 MX$499

-83.49%

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 ₱328

$4.86 MX$82.6

7.61%

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

$134 ₱8,426

$226 MX$3,834

-40.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,391 ₱463.4K

$4,194 MX$71.2K

76.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.85 ₱1,809

$47.38 MX$805

-39.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.72 ₱1,236

$43.45 MX$738

-54.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 ₱4,528

$80.2 MX$1,363

-9.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 ₱3,562

$91.4 MX$1,552

-37.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$264 ₱16.5K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-75.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 ₱10.7K

$409 MX$6,943

-58.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 ₱30.8K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-75.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₱22.1K

$1,281 MX$21.8K

-72.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,560 ₱160.5K

$4,046 MX$68.7K

-36.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,050 ₱65.8K

$6,704 MX$113.9K

-84.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

11.45

-41.05%

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

Last update for Binan City: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $264 in Binan City versus $1,086 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 $17.00 in Binan City versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $173 vs $278 – making Binan City 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 78%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,098 per month in Binan City and $1,958 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 Binan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $134 per month in Binan City and $226 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 61% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Binan City, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Binan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Binan City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Binan City. 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.