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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $454 in Banepa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $729 in Banepa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,004 in Banepa.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 178% more expensive than in Banepa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Banepa 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$1.85 NPR 282

533.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$18.75 NPR 2,861

123.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.57 NPR 1,002

59.97%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.85 NPR 282

94.05%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.54 NPR 82.4

179.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.18 NPR 26.77

411.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.56 NPR 391

15.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.58 NPR 547

23.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.87 NPR 132

60.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.56 NPR 84.8

235.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.95 NPR 145

64.21%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.84 NPR 281

41.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.01 NPR 1,375

-7.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.24 NPR 494

157.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$5.96 NPR 910

82.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.28 NPR 348

18.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.06 NPR 161

42.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.25 NPR 191

49.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.66 NPR 101

231.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.52 NPR 79.3

257.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.68 NPR 104

227.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.49 NPR 74.5

118.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.25 NPR 37.97

336.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.99 NPR 456

40.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$8.85 NPR 1,351

17.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.28 NPR 349

-27.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.32 NPR 506

-21.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.18 NPR 26.79

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.13 NPR 325

44.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.10 NPR 168

118.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$3.54 NPR 540

-11.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.27 NPR 194

3.15%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$32.1K NPR 4.9M

-7.03%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$40.9K NPR 6.2M

-43.03%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$33.59 NPR 5,127

141.98%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$4.99 NPR 762

352.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$9.90 NPR 1,511

203.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$17.87 NPR 2,728

196.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.21 NPR 490

53.27%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$92.2 NPR 14.1K

117.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,703 NPR 565.2K

39.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$25.17 NPR 3,842

42.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$27.89 NPR 4,256

43.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$57.9 NPR 8,841

37.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$39.91 NPR 6,091

116.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$107 NPR 16.3K

816.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$64.7 NPR 9,876

627.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$209 NPR 31.9K

690.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$146 NPR 22.3K

724.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Banepa: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $107 in Banepa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $19.00 in Banepa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $156 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 178% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $681 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $107 in Banepa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $454 in Banepa – a 178% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $454 in Banepa versus $1,260 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 178% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.