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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $325 in Banepa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $534 in Banepa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $743 in Banepa.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 290% more expensive than in Banepa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Banepa 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$1.99 NPR 305

482.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$20.40 NPR 3,129

130.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$6.72 NPR 1,032

76.79%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$1.35 NPR 207

194.81%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.56 NPR 85.5

155.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.14 NPR 21.67

485.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$2.70 NPR 415

18.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.66 NPR 561

85.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$0.44 NPR 68.2

281.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$0.64 NPR 98.2

243.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$0.30 NPR 46.69

470.00%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$1.39 NPR 213

97.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$2.88 NPR 442

232.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.22 NPR 494

179.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$1.60 NPR 245

700.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$2.11 NPR 324

36.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.10 NPR 168

36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$0.38 NPR 57.9

465.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$0.34 NPR 52.2

564.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$0.25 NPR 37.97

692.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$0.34 NPR 52.9

485.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.49 NPR 74.5

151.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.25 NPR 38.38

380.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$1.98 NPR 303

129.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$7.98 NPR 1,225

29.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$0.99 NPR 152

63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$1.51 NPR 231

90.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$29.76 NPR 4,565

-3.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$2.00 NPR 307

169.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$1.27 NPR 196

193.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$3.30 NPR 506

74.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.39 NPR 214

10.79%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$29.8K NPR 4.6M

-24.29%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$36.6K NPR 5.6M

-28.72%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$32.00 NPR 4,909

185.56%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$3.40 NPR 522

641.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$8.00 NPR 1,228

290.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$2.94 NPR 450

65.31%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$65.7 NPR 10.1K

240.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$4,706 NPR 721.9K

-10.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$26.75 NPR 4,104

76.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$28.15 NPR 4,318

57.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$67.5 NPR 10.3K

18.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$29.64 NPR 4,546

212.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

9.72

17.80%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Banepa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $20.00 in Banepa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $98.0 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 290% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $487 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 182% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Banepa – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $325 in Banepa versus $1,266 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 290% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.