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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $659 in Benxi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $931 in Benxi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,204 in Benxi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 91% more than Benxi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Benxi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Benxi 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.75 ¥18.57

326.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$21.14 ¥143

98.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.96 ¥33.48

111.90%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.62 ¥17.65

37.02%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.46 ¥3.09

228.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.27 ¥1.82

240.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$0.71 ¥4.81

316.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.70 ¥11.50

159.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.76 ¥11.91

-20.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.08 ¥7.32

74.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.74 ¥4.97

110.81%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.09 ¥7.38

139.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.97 ¥60.6

-7.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.76 ¥18.65

202.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$8.60 ¥58.1

26.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.46 ¥9.87

85.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.30 ¥8.77

16.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.56 ¥10.51

19.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.23 ¥8.30

78.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.59 ¥3.96

215.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.78 ¥12.00

25.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.17 ¥7.89

-8.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.65 ¥4.41

67.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.87 ¥19.38

45.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$8.19 ¥55.3

27.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.54 ¥3.66

207.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$0.91 ¥6.11

186.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.27 ¥1.82

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$11.20 ¥75.6

133.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.88 ¥5.92

250.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.26 ¥1.75

823.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$3.51 ¥23.71

-10.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.05 ¥7.11

24.76%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$18.1K ¥122.0K

64.87%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$16.7K ¥113.0K

39.36%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$50.3 ¥339

61.72%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$6.16 ¥41.56

266.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$9.80 ¥66.1

206.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$62.5 ¥422

-15.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$7.85 ¥53.0

134.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.73 ¥31.93

4.02%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$417 ¥2,818

-51.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$8,257 ¥55.7K

-37.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$27.32 ¥184

31.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$30.25 ¥204

32.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$56.7 ¥383

40.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$49.30 ¥333

75.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$128 ¥863

665.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$188 ¥1,269

150.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$249 ¥1,678

564.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$141 ¥951

754.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$3,504 ¥23.7K

12.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,912 ¥12.9K

245.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$451 ¥3,044

50.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

185.50%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Benxi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $128 in Benxi. 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 50% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Benxi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $169 – making Benxi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Benxi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 91% more than Benxi, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $988 in Benxi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Benxi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $417 in Benxi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Benxi, where all-in costs run around $659, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Benxi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Benxi costs $659 versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Benxi. 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.