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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $441 per month in Benin vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $809 per month in Benin vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,177 per month in Benin vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Benin is about 66% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Benin and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Benin 67% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.51 ₦3,417

$11.73 MX$203

-78.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.30 ₦67.1K

$41.62 MX$720

18.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 ₦7,402

$10.64 MX$184

-48.87%

Cappuccino

$2.20 ₦2,989

$3.52 MX$60.9

-37.50%

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

$0.33 ₦454

$1.51 MX$26.12

-78.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ₦300

$0.97 MX$16.84

-77.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.80 ₦1,092

$2.95 MX$51.0

-72.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₦1,961

$4.45 MX$77.0

-67.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 ₦3,104

$1.38 MX$23.93

65.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 ₦1,638

$1.89 MX$32.72

-36.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ₦3,029

$1.64 MX$28.32

35.37%

Eggs

$1.72 ₦2,337

$2.51 MX$43.34

-31.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.34 ₦8,627

$8.34 MX$144

-23.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 ₦5,876

$8.34 MX$144

-48.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.32 ₦7,241

$10.73 MX$186

-50.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 ₦4,675

$2.60 MX$45.04

31.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ₦2,873

$1.46 MX$25.20

44.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 ₦2,948

$1.90 MX$32.87

13.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 ₦3,141

$2.08 MX$35.91

11.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 ₦3,221

$1.78 MX$30.71

33.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 ₦2,631

$2.19 MX$37.80

-11.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 ₦2,704

$1.04 MX$17.99

91.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₦528

$1.08 MX$18.62

-63.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.27 ₦1,728

$4.08 MX$70.6

-68.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.62 ₦3,568

$10.32 MX$178

-74.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₦856

$1.71 MX$29.61

-63.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₦1,199

$2.58 MX$44.54

-65.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ₦1,683

$3.26 MX$56.4

-61.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 ₦3,072

$2.49 MX$43.09

-9.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 ₦6,248

$3.25 MX$56.2

41.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 ₦1,059

$1.31 MX$22.61

-40.46%

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

$20.7K ₦28.2M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-31.49%

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

$20.9K ₦28.4M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-10.91%

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

$41.88 ₦57.0K

$82.9 MX$1,433

-49.46%

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

$10.07 ₦13.7K

$22.22 MX$384

-54.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.35 ₦46.8K

$29.34 MX$507

17.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 ₦8,570

$5.07 MX$87.6

24.06%

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

$84.5 ₦115.0K

$201 MX$3,473

-57.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,332 ₦3.2M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-55.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.31 ₦26.3K

$36.92 MX$639

-47.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ₦33.6K

$39.79 MX$688

-38.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.4 ₦89.1K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-16.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.6 ₦78.4K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-33.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$109 ₦148.1K

$664 MX$11.5K

-83.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.33

11.42

42.99%

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

Last update for Benin: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 511% 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 $49.00 in Benin versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $191 in Benin vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Benin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 194% more than Benin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $662 per month in Benin and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $441 in Benin and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $84.5 per month in Benin and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Benin, where all-in costs run around $441, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Benin 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. Benin costs $441 versus $1,297 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 Benin. 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.