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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $385 in Baniyas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $673 in Baniyas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $961 in Baniyas.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 239% more expensive than in Baniyas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Baniyas 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$1.95 SYP 236

513.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$44.46 SYP 5,403

6.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$6.80 SYP 827

72.79%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$0.51 SYP 62.2

707.84%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.03 SYP 125

35.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.31 SYP 37.70

193.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.48 SYP 180

116.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.04 SYP 370

132.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.79 SYP 95.5

112.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.39 SYP 46.92

451.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.03 SYP 125

71.84%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.23 SYP 150

129.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$3.46 SYP 421

165.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.63 SYP 684

63.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$13.66 SYP 1,660

-7.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$0.48 SYP 58.4

514.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.98 SYP 119

61.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.29 SYP 34.92

665.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.52 SYP 63.0

353.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.29 SYP 34.76

586.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.42 SYP 50.8

371.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.40 SYP 48.64

210.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.61 SYP 74.2

98.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.78 SYP 338

65.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$5.08 SYP 618

107.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.10 SYP 133

53.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.97 SYP 360

-6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.17 SYP 20.96

252.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$8.09 SYP 983

267.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.03 SYP 125

408.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.53 SYP 186

138.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$7.71 SYP 937

-25.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.52 SYP 184

1.32%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$14.8K SYP 1.8M

54.46%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$19.2K SYP 2.3M

34.26%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$19.85 SYP 2,413

356.78%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$4.01 SYP 488

528.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$47.03 SYP 5,716

-32.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$5.40 SYP 656

-10.00%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$67.3 SYP 8,180

235.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$1,777 SYP 216.0K

135.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$7.82 SYP 951

505.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$39.29 SYP 4,775

10.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$60.7 SYP 7,378

32.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$59.3 SYP 7,201

54.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.25

-19.65%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Baniyas: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $44.00 in Baniyas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $145 per month, with Baniyas 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 Baniyas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baniyas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 239% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $577 in Baniyas 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Baniyas – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $385 in Baniyas – a 239% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $385 in Baniyas versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Baniyas but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Baniyas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Baniyas 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.

Expats usually find Baniyas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 239% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.