Cost of Living Comparison Between Cox's Bazar and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Cox's Bazar and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $353 in Cox's Bazar versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $567 in Cox's Bazar versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $782 in Cox's Bazar versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cox's Bazar costs roughly 72% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cox's Bazar 74% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.59 ৳195

$11.60 MX$200

-86.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.20 ৳1,497

$47.11 MX$812

-74.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.00 ৳368

$11.88 MX$205

-74.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 ৳326

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ৳308

Cappuccino

$2.01 ৳247

$3.98 MX$68.6

-49.50%

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

$0.40 ৳48.49

$1.43 MX$24.60

-72.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ৳15.17

$0.82 MX$14.22

-85.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 ৳93.0

$1.68 MX$28.89

-54.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 ৳58.2

$2.20 MX$37.88

-78.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 ৳78.0

$1.71 MX$29.45

-62.57%

Eggs

$1.04 ৳128

$2.74 MX$47.26

-62.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 ৳887

$9.58 MX$165

-24.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.13 ৳262

$9.01 MX$155

-76.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.29 ৳895

$12.81 MX$221

-43.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 ৳287

$2.89 MX$49.81

-19.03%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ৳102

$1.50 MX$25.81

-44.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ৳197

$2.15 MX$37.03

-25.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 ৳59.5

$2.26 MX$38.96

-78.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ৳57.7

$1.98 MX$34.15

-76.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ৳66.4

$1.99 MX$34.30

-72.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 ৳54.8

$1.23 MX$21.28

-63.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ৳36.30

$1.20 MX$20.63

-75.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.98 ৳979

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 ৳320

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ৳548

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.84 ৳225

$4.55 MX$78.5

-59.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 ৳35.73

$5.39 MX$92.9

-94.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ৳43.65

$3.73 MX$64.3

-90.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 ৳486

$5.77 MX$99.5

-31.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ৳136

$1.54 MX$26.48

-27.92%

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

$32.6K ৳4.0M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

44.55%

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

$34.4K ৳4.2M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

32.07%

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

$12.27 ৳1,506

$91.4 MX$1,576

-86.57%

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

$2.59 ৳318

$25.20 MX$435

-89.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.52 ৳1,413

$31.24 MX$539

-63.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.14 ৳1,981

$67.2 MX$1,159

-75.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.14 ৳508

$29.11 MX$502

-85.78%

Cinema Ticket

$2.31 ৳283

$4.86 MX$83.8

-52.47%

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

$24.74 ৳3,036

$224 MX$3,856

-88.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,440 ৳176.7K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-65.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.92 ৳2,812

$47.10 MX$812

-51.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.27 ৳2,242

$44.29 MX$764

-58.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.08 ৳4,059

$80.1 MX$1,381

-58.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.76 ৳4,265

$92.7 MX$1,598

-62.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$160 ৳19.7K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-84.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.2 ৳12.0K

$390 MX$6,728

-74.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 ৳38.0K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-85.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 ৳19.6K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-87.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$352 ৳43.2K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-91.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$259 ৳31.8K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-96.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 ৳34.4K

$758 MX$13.1K

-63.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.45

0.44%

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

Last update for Cox's Bazar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $160 in Cox's Bazar and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 170% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12.00 in Cox's Bazar vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $107 vs $276 per month, with Cox's Bazar 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

Cox's Bazar vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cox's Bazar and Playa del Carmen differ by about 259% in total monthly costs ($353 vs $1,266 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 170% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $160 in Cox's Bazar versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 159% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $353 per month in Cox's Bazar versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 259% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $353 in Cox's Bazar versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cox's Bazar but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cox's Bazar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Cox's Bazar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 259% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.