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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $901 in Binan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,376 in Binan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,850 in Binan City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 43% 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 4% lower, Binan City 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$4.76 ₱294

150.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$21.05 ₱1,298

103.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.12 ₱193

239.42%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.98 ₱184

21.48%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.93 ₱57.7

58.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.38 ₱23.16

147.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.23 ₱75.7

151.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.65 ₱163

68.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.15 ₱133

-33.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.26 ₱77.4

49.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.07 ₱66.3

52.34%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.00 ₱124

32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.87 ₱424

19.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.38 ₱270

89.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.44 ₱459

49.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$4.32 ₱266

-38.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.52 ₱94.0

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.61 ₱161

-23.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.70 ₱105

22.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.76 ₱171

-35.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.93 ₱181

-25.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.64 ₱101

-34.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.01 ₱62.2

2.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.24 ₱200

22.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.43 ₱520

21.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.25 ₱77.3

38.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.04 ₱126

22.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.26 ₱15.88

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.79 ₱48.46

297.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.24 ₱14.86

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$3.63 ₱224

-14.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.11 ₱68.2

14.41%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$25.5K ₱1.6M

21.02%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.6K ₱1.3M

13.42%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$167 ₱10.3K

-50.86%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$32.51 ₱2,005

-30.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$34.87 ₱2,151

-14.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$33.87 ₱2,089

53.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$7.06 ₱435

-29.60%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$81.3 ₱5,013

143.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$7,161 ₱441.7K

-26.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$32.50 ₱2,004

11.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$29.77 ₱1,836

34.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$84.7 ₱5,225

-5.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$94.8 ₱5,845

-6.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$266 ₱16.4K

262.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$179 ₱11.0K

160.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$591 ₱36.5K

169.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$401 ₱24.7K

201.57%

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

6.67

71.21%

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 Binan City: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $266 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Binan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 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 43%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,352 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $901 in Binan City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $81.3 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 $901, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.