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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $437 in Banepa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $719 in Banepa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,001 in Banepa.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 194% more expensive than Banepa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Banepa 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$1.79 NPR 271

567.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$18.61 NPR 2,828

129.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.49 NPR 986

63.17%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.92 NPR 292

88.54%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.49 NPR 75.2

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.18 NPR 27.64

422.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.58 NPR 392

19.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.66 NPR 556

21.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.83 NPR 126

72.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.58 NPR 88.7

224.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.02 NPR 154

59.80%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.85 NPR 281

42.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.13 NPR 1,388

-10.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.15 NPR 479

163.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$5.95 NPR 904

86.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.29 NPR 348

15.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.05 NPR 160

42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.20 NPR 182

65.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.65 NPR 99.4

220.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.49 NPR 73.7

265.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.67 NPR 102

225.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.49 NPR 74.2

120.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.25 NPR 37.58

316.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.86 NPR 435

38.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.78 NPR 1,031

50.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.33 NPR 353

-25.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.35 NPR 508

-25.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.18 NPR 26.85

188.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.23 NPR 340

40.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.05 NPR 160

128.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$3.62 NPR 550

-14.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.22 NPR 186

4.10%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$32.5K NPR 4.9M

-4.87%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$41.2K NPR 6.3M

-43.46%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$32.61 NPR 4,954

151.49%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$4.93 NPR 748

355.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$9.71 NPR 1,476

205.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$17.91 NPR 2,721

189.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.29 NPR 500

51.06%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$90.9 NPR 13.8K

117.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,760 NPR 571.2K

40.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$24.51 NPR 3,723

48.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$27.70 NPR 4,208

44.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$57.5 NPR 8,739

38.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$40.35 NPR 6,129

120.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$105 NPR 16.0K

814.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$64.5 NPR 9,792

620.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$202 NPR 30.7K

688.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$147 NPR 22.3K

724.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

12.08

-5.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Banepa: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $105 in Banepa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $19.00 in Banepa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $152 per month, with Banepa 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

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

Banepa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 194% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $656 in Banepa 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $105 in Banepa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $437 in Banepa – a 194% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $437 in Banepa versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Banepa but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Banepa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Banepa 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Banepa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Banepa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 194% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.