😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $971 in Benares, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,588 in Benares, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,206 in Benares, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 33% more than Benares, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Benares are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Benares28% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Benares
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$6.66MUR 312
79.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$43.77MUR 2,048
-2.33%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$6.43MUR 301
64.70%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$2.53MUR 119
43.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$0.95MUR 44.26
54.74%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.59MUR 27.77
59.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$2.08MUR 97.3
48.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$2.77MUR 130
61.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Benares
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.45MUR 67.8
-1.38%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$0.69MUR 32.34
172.46%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.32MUR 61.5
23.48%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$2.25MUR 105
17.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$10.05MUR 470
-18.31%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$6.08MUR 284
36.35%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$10.29MUR 481
7.87%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$1.99MUR 93.2
33.17%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$1.91MUR 89.3
-21.47%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.50MUR 70.1
32.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$2.65MUR 124
-21.51%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$0.98MUR 45.75
82.65%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$0.93MUR 43.67
134.41%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$0.80MUR 37.48
35.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.57MUR 26.81
82.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$6.12MUR 286
-35.13%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$8.43MUR 394
21.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.74MUR 81.3
-0.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$2.12MUR 99.4
17.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Benares
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$1.05MUR 49.12
-50.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$4.42MUR 207
-28.96%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$2.66MUR 124
-9.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$15.14MUR 709
-79.59%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.39MUR 65.2
-8.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$35.7KMUR 1.7M
-13.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$29.3KMUR 1.4M
-20.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Benares
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$49.48MUR 2,315
65.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$18.40MUR 861
22.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$32.71MUR 1,531
-9.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Benares
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$38.61MUR 1,807
34.34%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$5.98MUR 280
-16.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Benares
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$154MUR 7,220
28.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$3,949MUR 184.8K
33.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Benares
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$49.70MUR 2,325
-26.88%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$43.89MUR 2,053
-8.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$82.2MUR 3,846
-2.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$78.0MUR 3,647
14.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Benares
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$521MUR 24.4K
85.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$357MUR 16.7K
30.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$936MUR 43.8K
70.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$711MUR 33.3K
69.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Benares
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
6.25
82.72%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Benares: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $521 in Benares. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Benares. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $212 in Benares – so Benares wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Benares: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and Benares compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $971 in Benares – roughly 33% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Benares?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,456 in Benares. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Benares?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Benares, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $44.00 in Benares. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 18% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Benares, where all-in costs run around $971, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Benares it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Benares?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $971 in Benares to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Playa del Carmen or Benares safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Benares?
If budget matters most, go with Benares. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado