🙂A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,763 in Benidorm, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,604 in Benidorm, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,444 in Benidorm, rent included.
🙂Playa del Carmen is about 27% cheaper than Benidorm, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Benidorm is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Benidorm
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$15.05€12.88
-20.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$52.3€44.80
-18.32%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$10.01€8.57
5.79%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$2.44€2.09
48.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$2.35€2.01
-37.45%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$1.42€1.21
-33.80%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$3.39€2.90
-8.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$3.55€3.04
25.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Benidorm
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.12€0.96
27.68%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$1.35€1.15
39.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.48€1.26
10.14%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$2.82€2.41
-6.38%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$11.29€9.67
-27.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$8.59€7.35
-3.49%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$13.95€11.94
-20.43%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$2.09€1.79
26.79%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$1.79€1.53
-16.20%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$2.04€1.75
-2.45%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$2.35€2.01
-11.49%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$1.81€1.55
-1.10%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.95€1.67
11.79%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$1.09€0.93
-0.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.44€0.37
136.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$6.37€5.46
-37.68%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$5.39€4.61
89.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.32€1.13
31.06%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$1.51€1.29
65.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Benidorm
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$1.86€1.59
-72.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$41.02€35.11
-34.25%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$3.57€3.05
-12.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$1.21€1.03
98.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$24.91€21.32
-87.60%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.83€1.56
-30.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$32.3K€27.7K
-4.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$32.9K€28.2K
-29.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Benidorm
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$141€120
-41.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$13.45€11.51
66.91%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$30.06€25.73
-1.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Benidorm
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$51.8€44.30
0.21%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$41.28€35.34
-54.77%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$10.04€8.60
-50.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Benidorm
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$400€342
-50.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$7,399€6,334
-28.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Benidorm
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$100€85.8
-63.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$29.32€25.10
36.60%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$70.1€60.0
14.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$104€88.8
-14.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Benidorm
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$970€831
-0.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$856€733
-45.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$1,618€1,385
-1.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$1,325€1,134
-8.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$5,397€4,620
-26.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$2,877€2,463
124.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Benidorm
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$1,817€1,555
-60.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
3.13
264.86%
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 Benidorm: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $970 in Benidorm. 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 152% higher in Benidorm, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $52.0 in Benidorm. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $241 in Benidorm – so Benidorm 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 Benidorm: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Benidorm cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Benidorm is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,645 in Benidorm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $400 in Benidorm. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Benidorm?
Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Benidorm – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Benidorm?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Benidorm at $1,763. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Benidorm it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Benidorm more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Benidorm?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Benidorm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado