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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $305 in Bhilai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $503 in Bhilai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $701 in Bhilai.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 312% more expensive than in Bhilai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Bhilai 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$2.58 ₹249

364.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$8.18 ₹787

410.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$3.13 ₹301

243.45%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.87 ₹180

87.17%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.28 ₹26.52

417.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.19 ₹18.34

363.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.52 ₹146

94.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$3.30 ₹317

36.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.69 ₹66.2

107.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.30 ₹28.43

513.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.65 ₹62.9

141.54%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$0.92 ₹88.9

172.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$4.57 ₹440

81.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$2.81 ₹271

200.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.12 ₹204

23.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.60 ₹57.8

140.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.65 ₹62.9

201.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.39 ₹37.88

435.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.42 ₹40.82

340.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.47 ₹44.82

361.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.22 ₹21.16

368.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.27 ₹25.62

296.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.30 ₹222

78.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$4.57 ₹440

122.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.02 ₹98.1

64.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.37 ₹228

6.75%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.05 ₹390

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.24 ₹23.20

112.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$2.84 ₹273

816.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.18 ₹114

173.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.24 ₹23.17

904.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.71 ₹164

88.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.22 ₹117

8.20%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$11.7K ₹1.1M

154.37%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$20.3K ₹2.0M

16.81%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$23.67 ₹2,278

246.47%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$3.87 ₹372

493.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$6.32 ₹608

376.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$3.47 ₹334

1397.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$6.88 ₹662

169.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$1.72 ₹166

189.53%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$57.0 ₹5,487

246.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$1,490 ₹143.4K

258.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$17.61 ₹1,695

102.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$17.70 ₹1,704

127.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$17.77 ₹1,711

343.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$27.67 ₹2,664

221.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$124 ₹11.9K

663.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$69.5 ₹6,692

581.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$273 ₹26.3K

501.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$182 ₹17.6K

563.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$653 ₹62.9K

0.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bhilai: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $124 in Bhilai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 0% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $8.00 in Bhilai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $88.0 per month, with Bhilai 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 Bhilai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Bhilai differ by about 312% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $305 including rent). Bhilai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 0% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $124 in Bhilai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $57.0 in Bhilai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 183% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $305 in Bhilai versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bhilai but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bhilai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Bhilai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 312% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.