Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Birjand and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Birjand: $531 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Birjand, Iran
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Birjand
🇮🇷 Iran
$531
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Birjand and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Birjand and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $531 per month in Birjand vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Birjand $531
  • Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $842 per month in Birjand vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Birjand $842
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1,154 per month in Birjand vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Birjand $1,154
  • Playa del Carmen $2,962

Birjand is about 56% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Birjand and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Birjand 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Birjand
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.96 $2.96
$10.67 MX$198
-72.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.89 $15.89
$43.80 MX$813
-63.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.89 $3.89
$11.79 MX$219
-67.01%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.72 $0.72
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 $1.11
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.10 $1.10
$3.79 MX$70.3
-70.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52 $0.52
$1.30 MX$24.09
-60.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 $1.02
$0.83 MX$15.48
22.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.15 MX$58.4
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.93 MX$91.6
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Birjand
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.65 $0.65
$1.41 MX$26.16
-53.90%
White Bread (500g)
$0.51 $0.51
$2.20 MX$40.77
-76.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.08 $2.08
$1.47 MX$27.35
41.50%
Eggs
$1.20 $1.20
$2.50 MX$46.37
-52.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.36 $4.36
$7.29 MX$135
-40.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.33 $3.33
$7.95 MX$148
-58.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.18 $10.18
$12.86 MX$239
-20.84%
Apples (1kg)
$1.03 $1.03
$2.90 MX$53.8
-64.48%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 $1.63
$1.38 MX$25.69
18.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.82 $0.82
$2.49 MX$46.26
-67.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.60 $0.60
$2.03 MX$37.70
-70.44%
Potato (1kg)
$0.55 $0.55
$2.02 MX$37.61
-72.77%
Onion (1kg)
$0.51 $0.51
$1.90 MX$35.35
-73.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.57 $0.57
$1.14 MX$21.25
-50.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24 $0.24
$1.24 MX$23.01
-80.65%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$0.81 $0.81
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 $0.51
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 $1.35
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.46 $2.46
$4.27 MX$79.3
-42.39%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$9.81 MX$182
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.59 MX$29.45
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.75 MX$51.0
-
🚌 Getting Around
Birjand
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.17 $0.17
$0.51 MX$9.56
-66.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.63 $9.63
$27.39 MX$509
-64.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.42 $0.42
$4.76 MX$88.4
-91.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 $0.29
$3.25 MX$60.3
-91.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 $2.67
$5.39 MX$100
-50.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.08 $0.08
$1.53 MX$28.38
-94.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.1K $50.1K
$21.2K MX$393.9K
136.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$46.2K $46.2K
$23.3K MX$432.0K
98.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Birjand
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$13.20 $13.20
$83.5 MX$1,550
-84.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.52 $1.52
$23.19 MX$431
-93.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$4.02 $4.02
$27.61 MX$513
-85.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Birjand
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$18.86 $18.86
$56.4 MX$1,048
-66.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.64 $13.64
$28.19 MX$524
-51.61%
Cinema Ticket
$2.03 $2.03
$5.00 MX$92.9
-59.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Birjand
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$106 $106
$207 MX$3,846
-48.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,419 $2,419
$5,231 MX$97.1K
-53.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Birjand
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.11 $23.11
$43.45 MX$807
-46.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.81 $27.81
$42.54 MX$790
-34.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.7 $97.7
$72.8 MX$1,351
34.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.0 $72.0
$88.4 MX$1,641
-18.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Birjand
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$296 $296
$995 MX$18.5K
-70.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$209 $209
$382 MX$7,102
-45.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$783 $783
$1,674 MX$31.1K
-53.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$361 $361
$1,081 MX$20.1K
-66.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,165 $1,165
$3,909 MX$72.6K
-70.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$537 $537
$6,138 MX$114.0K
-91.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Birjand
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$832 MX$15.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
24.3
11.45
112.23%

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

Last update for Birjand: November 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Birjand
$209
Playa del Carmen
$382 82.9% $173
Groceries & Markets
Birjand
$114
Playa del Carmen
$257 126% $143
Clothing & Footwear
Birjand
$99
Playa del Carmen
$111 12% $12
Eating Out
Birjand
$55
Playa del Carmen
$200 267% $146
Sport & Entertainment
Birjand
$23
Playa del Carmen
$66 190% $44
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Birjand
$19
Playa del Carmen
$134 617% $116
Getting Around
Birjand
$12
Playa del Carmen
$50 314% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $296 in Birjand versus $995 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 $16 in Birjand versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $114 vs $257 – making Birjand the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇷 Birjand
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
20:39 8:39 PM
12:09 12:09 PM
8 h 30 min behind Birjand
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
203,636
149,923
💱 Currency
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – USD Converter

USD exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.57 MXN (100 MXN = 5.38 USD). 1 EUR = 20.79 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Birjand Playa del Carmen 13,070 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Birjand
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Birjand vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Birjand and in Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $531 in Birjand, $1,202 in Playa del Carmen – Birjand comes out roughly 56% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Birjand compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $796 per month in Birjand and $1,804 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Birjand and Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Birjand, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $296 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 126% more in Playa del Carmen, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Birjand and $44 in Playa del Carmen. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Birjand, where all-in costs run around $531, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,202. In Birjand it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Birjand or Playa del Carmen?
Families tend to lean toward Birjand – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Where should expats move: Birjand or Playa del Carmen?
For expats, Birjand is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 56% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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