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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $611 in Banjul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,093 in Banjul, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,576 in Banjul, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 106% more than Banjul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Banjul are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Banjul 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.56 GMD 413

115.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$64.6 GMD 4,799

-35.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.81 GMD 506

57.86%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.52 GMD 187

38.89%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$2.16 GMD 161

-32.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.35 GMD 100

-34.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$4.09 GMD 304

-27.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.23 GMD 315

6.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.40 GMD 104

2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.53 GMD 39.64

247.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.41 GMD 104

11.35%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.07 GMD 154

21.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.19 GMD 460

33.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$2.91 GMD 217

189.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$5.93 GMD 441

80.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.12 GMD 157

23.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.27 GMD 94.3

13.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.88 GMD 140

4.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.46 GMD 109

43.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.92 GMD 68.4

101.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.00 GMD 74.0

117.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.24 GMD 17.72

329.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.40 GMD 29.67

167.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.78 GMD 132

130.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.36 GMD 472

59.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.58 GMD 118

6.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.72 GMD 128

47.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.22 GMD 16.36

131.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$6.71 GMD 498

288.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.36 GMD 26.75

797.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.68 GMD 50.3

254.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.14 GMD 308

-21.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.14 GMD 84.7

15.79%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$2,717 GMD 201.9K

992.80%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$3,409 GMD 253.3K

594.12%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$32.46 GMD 2,411

152.65%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$15.13 GMD 1,124

51.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$47.78 GMD 3,550

-36.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$24.52 GMD 1,822

111.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$14.10 GMD 1,048

31.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.65 GMD 271

36.44%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$6.91 GMD 513

2757.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$140 GMD 10.4K

3715.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$55.6 GMD 4,127

-35.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$45.17 GMD 3,356

-10.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$99.5 GMD 7,396

-20.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$85.8 GMD 6,372

3.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$103 GMD 7,622

823.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$54.3 GMD 4,033

773.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$231 GMD 17.1K

612.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$142 GMD 10.6K

752.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,436 GMD 106.7K

182.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,152 GMD 85.6K

461.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$61.4 GMD 4,563

964.79%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Banjul: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 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 965% 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 $65.0 in Banjul. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $152 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 106%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $916 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $611 in Banjul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 288% 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 $611, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.