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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $670 in Bentota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $878 in Bentota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,087 in Bentota.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 93% more expensive than Bentota, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Bentota 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$4.00 LKR 1,333

193.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$13.21 LKR 4,397

216.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$8.62 LKR 2,869

20.77%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.65 LKR 881

36.23%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.70 LKR 232

108.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.37 LKR 124

162.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.28 LKR 761

28.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$3.43 LKR 1,142

34.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.71 LKR 571

-16.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.55 LKR 185

245.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$0.80 LKR 268

96.25%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.21 LKR 734

19.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$14.07 LKR 4,685

-40.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$3.75 LKR 1,248

128.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$4.89 LKR 1,627

124.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$7.59 LKR 2,526

-64.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$0.82 LKR 272

84.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$5.83 LKR 1,941

-67.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.01 LKR 337

114.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.12 LKR 372

66.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.42 LKR 475

57.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.14 LKR 379

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.61 LKR 202

75.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$9.99 LKR 3,327

-58.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$12.81 LKR 4,266

-19.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.02 LKR 671

-16.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.92 LKR 973

-13.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.23 LKR 75.1

139.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.42 LKR 139

661.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.35 LKR 117

602.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.58 LKR 193

451.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.21 LKR 404

9.09%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$27.0K LKR 9.0M

11.49%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$34.9K LKR 11.6M

-32.88%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$60.5 LKR 20.1K

34.49%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$2.55 LKR 848

778.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$10.10 LKR 3,364

196.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$3.32 LKR 1,107

55.42%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$36.92 LKR 12.3K

446.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$436 LKR 145.0K

1119.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$27.59 LKR 9,189

29.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$19.68 LKR 6,555

105.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$70.3 LKR 23.4K

11.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$39.28 LKR 13.1K

121.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$244 LKR 81.2K

289.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$149 LKR 49.6K

221.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Bentota: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $244 in Bentota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $13.00 in Bentota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $241 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 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,941 in Playa del Carmen and $1,005 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: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $244 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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $670 in Bentota – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $670 in Bentota versus $1,294 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 93% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.