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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $366 in Baniyas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $607 in Baniyas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $847 in Baniyas.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 254% more expensive than Baniyas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Baniyas 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.99 SYP 220

489.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$27.30 SYP 3,017

52.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.46 SYP 603

94.87%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$0.48 SYP 52.8

633.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.02 SYP 113

48.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.31 SYP 34.72

212.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.52 SYP 168

94.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.54 SYP 281

75.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.83 SYP 91.4

66.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.62 SYP 68.8

204.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.97 SYP 107

69.07%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.23 SYP 136

104.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.17 SYP 350

163.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.70 SYP 851

8.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.17 SYP 1,235

-3.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.49 SYP 53.7

430.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.01 SYP 112

44.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.29 SYP 31.57

555.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.49 SYP 53.9

324.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.31 SYP 34.71

474.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.42 SYP 46.04

421.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.40 SYP 44.61

160.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.59 SYP 64.7

83.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.07 SYP 339

32.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$4.90 SYP 541

110.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.98 SYP 108

74.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.75 SYP 193

47.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.19 SYP 20.73

168.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$8.07 SYP 891

227.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.02 SYP 113

219.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.27 SYP 141

96.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.62 SYP 732

-50.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.54 SYP 171

-14.94%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$18.4K SYP 2.0M

64.88%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.9K SYP 2.3M

12.11%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$20.34 SYP 2,247

307.42%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$3.95 SYP 436

462.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$54.6 SYP 6,029

-46.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$2.98 SYP 329

70.13%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$42.83 SYP 4,733

368.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,832 SYP 202.5K

184.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$7.87 SYP 869

369.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$26.01 SYP 2,874

52.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$45.28 SYP 5,004

73.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$55.6 SYP 6,148

56.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.75

-16.95%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Baniyas: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Baniyas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $146 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, Getting Around. The 254% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $550 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 $27.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $366 in Baniyas – a 254% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $366 in Baniyas versus $1,297 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 254% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.