Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Binan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Binan City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $899 in Binan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,376 in Binan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,853 in Binan City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 40% more than Binan City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Binan City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Binan City 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.68 ₱287

150.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$21.12 ₱1,293

98.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.03 ₱185

246.86%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.87 ₱176

25.09%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.94 ₱57.8

60.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.37 ₱22.78

148.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.22 ₱74.9

142.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.70 ₱165

63.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.07 ₱127

-32.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.26 ₱77.2

49.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.11 ₱68.2

40.54%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.04 ₱125

27.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.03 ₱431

18.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.38 ₱268

90.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.54 ₱462

44.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$4.42 ₱270

-38.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.55 ₱94.9

-2.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.63 ₱161

-28.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.71 ₱105

28.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.88 ₱176

-35.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.94 ₱180

-24.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.58 ₱96.9

-32.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.95 ₱58.4

14.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.25 ₱199

28.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$8.11 ₱497

28.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.23 ₱75.5

34.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.05 ₱125

27.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.26 ₱15.90

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.77 ₱47.35

300.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.22 ₱13.45

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$3.50 ₱214

-10.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.14 ₱69.7

14.91%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$25.3K ₱1.5M

18.05%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

12.26%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$164 ₱10.0K

-50.29%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$33.13 ₱2,028

-31.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$35.34 ₱2,163

-14.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$34.13 ₱2,089

55.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.32 ₱264

325.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$7.26 ₱444

-32.23%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$81.6 ₱4,992

146.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$6,963 ₱426.2K

-25.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$32.18 ₱1,970

11.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$30.10 ₱1,843

33.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$83.9 ₱5,133

-4.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$93.3 ₱5,709

-7.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$269 ₱16.5K

263.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$177 ₱10.9K

165.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$579 ₱35.4K

185.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$394 ₱24.1K

205.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,260 ₱138.3K

74.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$899 ₱55.1K

634.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.67

71.21%

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 Binan City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $269 in Binan City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Binan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $221 – making Binan City 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 Binan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,348 in Binan City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $899 in Binan City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $81.6 in Binan City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Binan City, where all-in costs run around $899, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Binan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Binan City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Binan City. 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.