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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $655 in Bentota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $874 in Bentota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,093 in Bentota.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 97% more expensive than Bentota, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Bentota 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.93 LKR 1,254

203.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$13.29 LKR 4,239

221.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.57 LKR 2,734

23.57%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.67 LKR 851

35.58%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.74 LKR 237

98.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.41 LKR 130

129.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.30 LKR 735

34.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.42 LKR 1,090

30.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.78 LKR 569

-19.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.53 LKR 168

254.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.88 LKR 281

85.23%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.12 LKR 675

24.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$13.82 LKR 4,406

-40.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.59 LKR 1,145

130.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$5.13 LKR 1,637

116.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$7.43 LKR 2,368

-64.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.88 LKR 280

70.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$5.76 LKR 1,838

-65.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.02 LKR 325

103.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.15 LKR 366

55.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.36 LKR 434

60.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.15 LKR 365

-6.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.56 LKR 180

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$9.87 LKR 3,146

-59.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$12.71 LKR 4,052

-19.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.00 LKR 637

-13.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.98 LKR 951

-16.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.22 LKR 69.6

136.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.41 LKR 132

665.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.33 LKR 104

627.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$0.61 LKR 195

406.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.20 LKR 382

5.83%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$27.2K LKR 8.7M

13.48%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

-31.88%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$60.9 LKR 19.4K

34.60%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$2.48 LKR 790

805.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$10.09 LKR 3,219

193.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.29 LKR 1,049

51.06%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$36.66 LKR 11.7K

439.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$449 LKR 143.2K

1074.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$27.82 LKR 8,870

30.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$19.42 LKR 6,194

106.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$69.1 LKR 22.0K

15.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$38.52 LKR 12.3K

130.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$241 LKR 76.9K

299.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$150 LKR 48.0K

209.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

16.45

-30.58%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Bentota: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $241 in Bentota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $13.00 in Bentota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $239 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 97% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $982 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $241 in Bentota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $655 in Bentota – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $655 in Bentota versus $1,287 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 97% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.