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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $789 in Bentota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $904 in Bentota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,020 in Bentota.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 60% more expensive than in Bentota, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Bentota 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.50 LKR 1,489

157.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$12.05 LKR 3,985

290.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.63 LKR 2,524

55.70%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.41 LKR 796

65.15%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.69 LKR 229

107.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.27 LKR 90.0

203.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$2.26 LKR 747

41.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.08 LKR 1,019

120.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.56 LKR 516

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.53 LKR 177

315.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.76 LKR 253

125.00%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.68 LKR 554

63.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$13.30 LKR 4,398

-27.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.37 LKR 1,116

167.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$4.65 LKR 1,536

175.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$6.75 LKR 2,231

-57.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$0.73 LKR 240

105.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$4.22 LKR 1,397

-49.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$0.94 LKR 310

140.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.00 LKR 332

98.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.74 LKR 246

168.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.95 LKR 313

29.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.49 LKR 161

144.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$10.48 LKR 3,465

-56.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.66 LKR 4,517

-24.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.89 LKR 625

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.89 LKR 955

-0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.16 LKR 53.3

275.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.42 LKR 138

1183.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.31 LKR 104

1103.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$0.96 LKR 316

501.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.30 LKR 429

18.46%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

-24.96%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$42.7K LKR 14.1M

-38.94%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$55.7 LKR 18.4K

64.06%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$2.25 LKR 743

1020.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$9.04 LKR 2,988

245.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$4.51 LKR 1,491

7.76%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$38.39 LKR 12.7K

482.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$1,223 LKR 404.4K

245.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$20.45 LKR 6,761

130.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$17.04 LKR 5,635

159.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$80.4 LKR 26.6K

-0.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$42.01 LKR 13.9K

120.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$547 LKR 180.9K

94.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$309 LKR 102.2K

26.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

12.69

-9.77%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bentota: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $547 in Bentota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Bentota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $218 per month, with Bentota cheaper across the board.

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 Bentota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bentota is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $1,183 in Bentota to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $547 in Bentota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $789 in Bentota – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $789 in Bentota versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bentota but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bentota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bentota is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Bentota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.