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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $666 in Banjul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,180 in Banjul, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,693 in Banjul, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 94% 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 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$7.72 GMD 568

51.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$77.6 GMD 5,704

-39.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$8.20 GMD 603

42.07%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$3.88 GMD 285

5.41%

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

$1.37 MX$23.21

$2.80 GMD 206

-51.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.08

$1.60 GMD 117

-48.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$5.83 GMD 428

-42.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$4.63 GMD 340

49.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.16

$1.32 GMD 97.0

31.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.17

$0.62 GMD 45.40

264.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.88

$1.30 GMD 95.8

36.15%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.14

$1.99 GMD 146

37.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$6.06 GMD 445

51.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$2.65 GMD 194

236.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$5.44 GMD 400

131.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$1.98 GMD 145

52.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.52

$1.27 GMD 93.1

23.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.89

$1.75 GMD 129

21.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.23

$1.33 GMD 97.9

69.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.84

$0.87 GMD 64.3

129.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.86

$1.00 GMD 73.8

106.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.92

$0.23 GMD 16.89

413.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.33

$0.61 GMD 45.07

96.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$1.71 GMD 126

170.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$6.27 GMD 461

70.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.35

$1.50 GMD 110

8.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.65

$1.75 GMD 129

64.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$0.22 GMD 15.84

159.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$6.40 GMD 471

366.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.70 GMD 51.3

428.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$4.01 GMD 295

49.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.23

$1.03 GMD 75.6

50.49%

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

$22.3K MX$377.0K

$2,677 GMD 196.7K

734.13%

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

$25.9K MX$438.2K

$3,223 GMD 236.9K

705.06%

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

$89.1 MX$1,505

$30.50 GMD 2,242

192.23%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$14.30 GMD 1,051

75.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$44.33 GMD 3,258

-28.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$23.22 GMD 1,707

191.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

$13.70 GMD 1,007

111.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$3.47 GMD 255

45.53%

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

$225 MX$3,798

$6.93 GMD 509

3146.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$137 GMD 10.1K

2986.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$56.2 GMD 4,128

-15.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$44.12 GMD 3,243

1.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$99.1 GMD 7,283

-17.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$88.5 GMD 6,507

4.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$103 GMD 7,558

939.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,844

$82.5 GMD 6,066

391.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$215 GMD 15.8K

800.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$137 GMD 10.1K

846.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,430 GMD 105.1K

179.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.9K

$1,131 GMD 83.1K

485.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$61.5 GMD 4,522

1117.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-23.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Banjul: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 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 1117% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $78.0 in Banjul. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $148 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 94%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $999 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $666 in Banjul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 366% 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 $666, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.