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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $854 per month in Brest vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Brest vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Brest is about 34% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Brest and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Brest 38% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.25 BYN 40.82

$11.71 MX$198

13.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.77 BYN 113

$46.59 MX$788

-21.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.34 BYN 19.53

$11.65 MX$197

-45.58%

Cappuccino

$2.03 BYN 6.25

$4.09 MX$69.2

-50.37%

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

$1.01 BYN 3.10

$1.37 MX$23.23

-26.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 BYN 2.51

$0.83 MX$14.09

-2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 BYN 9.33

$3.35 MX$56.7

-9.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 BYN 11.96

$6.91 MX$117

-43.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 BYN 3.59

$1.73 MX$29.20

-32.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 BYN 3.10

$2.26 MX$38.21

-55.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 BYN 3.15

$1.77 MX$29.91

-42.37%

Eggs

$1.60 BYN 4.92

$2.73 MX$46.19

-41.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.65 BYN 20.48

$9.18 MX$155

-27.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 BYN 10.72

$8.92 MX$151

-60.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.37 BYN 10.38

$12.60 MX$213

-73.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 BYN 6.19

$3.02 MX$51.1

-33.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 BYN 7.57

$1.57 MX$26.55

56.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 BYN 6.56

$2.13 MX$35.93

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 BYN 7.46

$2.26 MX$38.28

7.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 BYN 2.49

$2.00 MX$33.88

-59.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 BYN 5.12

$2.06 MX$34.90

-19.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 BYN 5.98

$1.18 MX$19.94

64.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 BYN 3.92

$1.20 MX$20.35

5.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 BYN 7.81

$4.63 MX$78.4

-45.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.59 BYN 23.39

$10.69 MX$181

-29.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 BYN 3.61

$1.62 MX$27.38

-27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 BYN 5.92

$2.88 MX$48.70

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 BYN 1.06

$0.57 MX$9.69

-40.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.75 BYN 48.51

$29.83 MX$504

-47.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 BYN 2.30

$5.45 MX$92.1

-86.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 BYN 1.72

$3.70 MX$62.6

-84.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.45 BYN 50.7

$5.98 MX$101

175.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 BYN 2.71

$1.55 MX$26.26

-43.23%

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

$18.7K BYN 57.5K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

-16.32%

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

$26.6K BYN 81.9K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

2.49%

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

$62.6 BYN 193

$89.1 MX$1,507

-29.77%

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

$11.00 BYN 33.87

$25.04 MX$423

-56.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.38 BYN 68.9

$31.50 MX$532

-28.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.18 BYN 99.1

$67.8 MX$1,146

-52.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.80 BYN 24.03

$28.92 MX$489

-73.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.36 BYN 16.52

$5.05 MX$85.4

6.14%

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

$321 BYN 990

$225 MX$3,803

42.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,161 BYN 19.0K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

45.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 BYN 160

$47.44 MX$802

9.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.38 BYN 115

$44.98 MX$760

-16.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 BYN 398

$82.0 MX$1,386

57.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 BYN 262

$92.1 MX$1,557

-7.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 BYN 1,102

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-66.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 BYN 561

$405 MX$6,852

-55.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 BYN 1,541

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-74.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 BYN 980

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-75.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,385 BYN 7,345

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-40.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,708 BYN 8,342

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-59.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 BYN 1,582

$749 MX$12.7K

-31.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-3.93%

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

Last update for Brest: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $358 in Brest versus $1,069 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 46% 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 $37.00 in Brest versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $277 – making Brest 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 52% more than Brest, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,281 per month in Brest and $1,940 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 Brest, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 55% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Brest and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Brest, where all-in costs run around $854, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Brest 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. Brest costs $854 versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Brest. 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.