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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $649 in Beja, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,096 in Beja, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,543 in Beja, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 100% more than Beja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Beja are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Beja 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.94 TND 11.40

197.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$16.76 TND 48.53

148.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.89 TND 14.17

117.59%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$0.69 TND 2.01

410.14%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.55 TND 1.60

174.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.23 TND 0.66

321.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.16 TND 3.35

154.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.65 TND 4.77

169.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.49 TND 1.42

181.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.13 TND 0.37

1353.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.27 TND 3.67

29.13%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.67 TND 4.83

50.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.71 TND 19.43

24.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.60 TND 16.23

48.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.63 TND 39.46

-21.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.58 TND 4.59

64.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$3.18 TND 9.22

-54.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.99 TND 2.88

91.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.62 TND 1.80

235.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.65 TND 1.87

173.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.60 TND 1.73

265.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.41 TND 1.18

153.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.31 TND 0.91

248.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.49 TND 10.10

16.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$5.16 TND 14.95

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.15 TND 3.33

48.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.04 TND 3.01

148.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.43 TND 1.23

18.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$10.02 TND 29.02

164.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.35 TND 1.00

831.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.33 TND 0.96

654.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$6.02 TND 17.44

-46.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.75 TND 2.17

74.67%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$46.7K TND 135.1K

-35.10%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$36.8K TND 106.7K

-36.42%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$50.0 TND 145

65.64%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$11.23 TND 32.52

97.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$18.11 TND 52.4

62.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$21.13 TND 61.2

144.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$23.65 TND 68.5

-22.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$6.40 TND 18.54

-20.78%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$62.0 TND 179

224.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$1,242 TND 3,597

319.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$42.11 TND 122

-12.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$59.9 TND 173

-33.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$128 TND 370

-38.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$81.7 TND 236

6.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$200 TND 580

385.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$138 TND 399

239.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$382 TND 1,108

329.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$408 TND 1,181

199.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,159 TND 3,357

240.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$639 TND 1,849

917.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-4.83%

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 Beja: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $200 in Beja. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.00 in Beja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $168 – making Beja the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Beja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 100% more than Beja, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $973 in Beja. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 164% less in Beja. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $62.0 in Beja. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Beja, where all-in costs run around $649, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Beja it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Beja costs $649 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Beja. 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.