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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $656 in Binjai versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,018 in Binjai versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,380 in Binjai versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.57 Rp 27.1K

$11.94 MX$208

-86.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.22 Rp 211.0K

$42.75 MX$744

-71.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.47 Rp 59.9K

$10.59 MX$184

-67.23%

Cappuccino

$1.67 Rp 28.8K

$3.62 MX$63.0

-53.87%

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

$0.52 Rp 8,957

$1.47 MX$25.54

-64.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,475

$0.94 MX$16.41

-72.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 Rp 43.4K

$3.09 MX$53.8

-18.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 Rp 61.4K

$4.46 MX$77.6

-20.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 21.1K

$1.43 MX$24.80

-14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 Rp 19.5K

$1.88 MX$32.79

-39.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 Rp 15.2K

$1.63 MX$28.34

-46.01%

Eggs

$1.53 Rp 26.3K

$2.64 MX$45.99

-42.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.10 Rp 139.9K

$8.21 MX$143

-1.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 Rp 54.1K

$8.29 MX$144

-62.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.11 Rp 140.0K

$11.10 MX$193

-26.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 40.8K

$2.65 MX$46.14

-10.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 25.0K

$1.50 MX$26.11

-3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 Rp 31.4K

$1.99 MX$34.59

-8.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 26.9K

$2.08 MX$36.13

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 Rp 23.5K

$1.79 MX$31.11

-24.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 33.5K

$2.18 MX$37.87

-11.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 Rp 15.8K

$1.08 MX$18.73

-14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 7,697

$1.04 MX$18.04

-56.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 Rp 43.3K

$3.97 MX$69.1

-36.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.98 Rp 362.2K

$10.20 MX$178

105.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 Rp 34.8K

$1.73 MX$30.04

16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 Rp 53.1K

$2.50 MX$43.46

23.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,555

$0.52 MX$9.02

-38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.64 Rp 166.5K

$26.97 MX$469

-64.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 9,914

$3.14 MX$54.7

-81.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 Rp 5,920

$2.40 MX$41.80

-85.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 51.0K

$3.09 MX$53.7

-4.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

$1.27 MX$22.16

-33.86%

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

$24.9K Rp 430.4M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-19.28%

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

$27.7K Rp 479.0M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

18.98%

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

$70.9 Rp 1.2M

$82.0 MX$1,427

-13.55%

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

$4.37 Rp 75.4K

$22.45 MX$391

-80.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.73 Rp 392.5K

$29.66 MX$516

-23.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.86 Rp 394.8K

$51.9 MX$903

-55.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.12 Rp 105.6K

$18.67 MX$325

-67.22%

Cinema Ticket

$3.04 Rp 52.5K

$4.97 MX$86.5

-38.83%

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

$94.8 Rp 1.6M

$198 MX$3,442

-52.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,443 Rp 128.5M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

41.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.01 Rp 708.0K

$36.34 MX$632

12.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.78 Rp 531.4K

$40.05 MX$697

-23.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 Rp 1.2M

$79.9 MX$1,390

-16.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 Rp 1.3M

$88.9 MX$1,547

-17.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 Rp 4.4M

$963 MX$16.8K

-73.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.7M

$465 MX$8,086

-66.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 Rp 9.9M

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-64.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 Rp 5.7M

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-72.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,258 Rp 21.7M

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-68.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$858 Rp 14.8M

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-86.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.42

-19.88%

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

Last update for Binjai: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $255 in Binjai and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Binjai vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $251 per month, with Binjai 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

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

Binjai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $985 in Binjai 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: $255 in Binjai versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $656 per month in Binjai versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Binjai runs roughly 180% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $656 in Binjai versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Binjai but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Binjai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Binjai 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 Binjai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.