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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $446 in Banepa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $726 in Banepa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,006 in Banepa.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 190% more expensive than Banepa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Banepa 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$1.80 NPR 273

551.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$19.21 NPR 2,906

117.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.61 NPR 1,001

57.49%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.86 NPR 282

94.09%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.51 NPR 77.0

186.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.16 NPR 24.75

506.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.63 NPR 398

11.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$3.58 NPR 541

29.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$0.81 NPR 123

76.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.59 NPR 88.9

222.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$0.96 NPR 145

63.54%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.86 NPR 282

41.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$9.19 NPR 1,391

-8.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$3.20 NPR 484

168.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$6.14 NPR 929

79.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.27 NPR 344

18.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.09 NPR 164

38.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.24 NPR 188

54.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$0.68 NPR 103

219.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.48 NPR 72.8

289.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.72 NPR 110

209.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.53 NPR 80.4

103.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.25 NPR 37.38

328.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.93 NPR 443

41.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$7.84 NPR 1,187

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.26 NPR 341

-25.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$3.23 NPR 489

-21.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.23 NPR 34.41

139.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$2.12 NPR 321

50.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.05 NPR 159

134.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$3.54 NPR 536

-9.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.21 NPR 184

9.09%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$32.0K NPR 4.8M

-5.66%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$40.5K NPR 6.1M

-42.20%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$33.11 NPR 5,010

145.70%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$4.91 NPR 742

356.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$9.75 NPR 1,476

207.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$18.29 NPR 2,767

181.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$3.35 NPR 506

54.03%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$92.3 NPR 14.0K

118.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$3,703 NPR 560.3K

43.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$24.75 NPR 3,745

43.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$27.82 NPR 4,209

45.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$57.6 NPR 8,721

36.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$40.12 NPR 6,071

116.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$103 NPR 15.7K

818.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$62.8 NPR 9,504

661.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$205 NPR 31.0K

689.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$143 NPR 21.6K

755.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Banepa: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $103 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 $254 vs $155 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 190% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,941 in Playa del Carmen and $669 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: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $103 in Banepa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $446 in Banepa – a 190% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $446 in Banepa versus $1,294 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 190% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.