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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $598 in Banjul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,089 in Banjul, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,580 in Banjul, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 117% more than Banjul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Banjul are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Banjul 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.29 GMD 391

121.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$63.9 GMD 4,720

-34.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.83 GMD 505

55.78%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.55 GMD 188

38.04%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.24 GMD 165

-32.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.31 GMD 97.1

-25.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.90 GMD 288

-24.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.20 GMD 311

5.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.44 GMD 106

-4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.53 GMD 39.20

256.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.36 GMD 101

20.59%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.98 GMD 146

26.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.49 GMD 480

28.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.88 GMD 213

189.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$5.88 GMD 434

82.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.10 GMD 156

23.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.27 GMD 93.7

14.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.83 GMD 136

3.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.39 GMD 102

49.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.98 GMD 72.5

81.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.99 GMD 73.2

121.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.26 GMD 19.37

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.43 GMD 31.79

151.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.76 GMD 130

131.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.61 GMD 489

56.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.58 GMD 117

8.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.75 GMD 129

47.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.20 GMD 14.75

155.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$6.57 GMD 486

302.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.37 GMD 27.14

781.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.71 GMD 52.5

250.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$4.14 GMD 306

-21.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.13 GMD 83.3

15.93%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$2,773 GMD 204.9K

991.93%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$3,401 GMD 251.3K

589.00%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$32.45 GMD 2,398

155.38%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$14.82 GMD 1,095

49.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$48.22 GMD 3,563

-39.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$25.25 GMD 1,866

104.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$14.33 GMD 1,059

27.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.58 GMD 264

41.62%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$7.04 GMD 520

2752.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$139 GMD 10.3K

3644.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$55.7 GMD 4,116

-33.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$44.94 GMD 3,321

-11.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$97.8 GMD 7,229

-19.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$86.8 GMD 6,414

0.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$103 GMD 7,644

840.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$52.8 GMD 3,905

785.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$226 GMD 16.7K

626.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$144 GMD 10.6K

748.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,461 GMD 108.0K

170.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,121 GMD 82.8K

479.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$60.5 GMD 4,468

997.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.12

12.85%

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 Banjul: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $103 in Banjul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 998% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $64.0 in Banjul. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $153 in Banjul – so Banjul wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Banjul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 117%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $898 in Banjul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Banjul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $598 in Banjul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 303% less in Banjul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banjul, where all-in costs run around $598, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Banjul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Banjul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Banjul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.