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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $366 in Baniyas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $608 in Baniyas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $850 in Baniyas.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 243% more expensive than in Baniyas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Baniyas 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$2.03 SYP 247

490.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$27.28 SYP 3,315

53.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$5.61 SYP 682

91.62%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$0.48 SYP 57.8

629.17%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.01 SYP 123

43.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.31 SYP 37.97

183.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.48 SYP 180

99.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.43 SYP 296

85.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.83 SYP 100

72.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.62 SYP 75.9

196.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.02 SYP 124

53.92%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.19 SYP 144

110.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$3.04 SYP 370

172.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$7.62 SYP 926

10.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$11.38 SYP 1,383

-6.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$0.48 SYP 58.0

443.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.01 SYP 123

42.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.29 SYP 34.84

575.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.48 SYP 58.6

335.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.29 SYP 35.12

537.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.41 SYP 50.0

429.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.38 SYP 45.97

171.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.61 SYP 74.2

75.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.96 SYP 359

38.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$4.92 SYP 598

106.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.02 SYP 124

64.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.75 SYP 213

44.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.19 SYP 23.11

168.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$7.77 SYP 944

235.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.01 SYP 123

219.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.23 SYP 149

95.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$6.56 SYP 797

-50.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.46 SYP 177

-9.59%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$18.5K SYP 2.2M

60.89%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$21.0K SYP 2.6M

12.71%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$20.03 SYP 2,434

309.44%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$4.01 SYP 487

472.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$55.0 SYP 6,681

-45.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$3.08 SYP 374

61.69%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$43.57 SYP 5,294

353.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$1,855 SYP 225.5K

187.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$7.76 SYP 944

358.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$25.57 SYP 3,107

57.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$44.44 SYP 5,400

77.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$55.7 SYP 6,765

59.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Baniyas: July 12, 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 243% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $549 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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $366 in Baniyas – a 243% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $366 in Baniyas versus $1,256 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 243% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.