Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Binh Duong Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Binh Duong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $565 in Binh Duong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $929 in Binh Duong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,293 in Binh Duong.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 122% more expensive than in Binh Duong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Binh Duong 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$1.91 ₫50.2K

527.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$11.54 ₫303.5K

262.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$4.64 ₫122.0K

131.68%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.71 ₫45.0K

104.68%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.47 ₫12.3K

208.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.28 ₫7,250

214.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$0.88 ₫23.2K

235.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$1.08 ₫28.4K

317.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.47 ₫38.6K

-2.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.81 ₫21.2K

127.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.61 ₫16.1K

157.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.43 ₫37.6K

75.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$11.60 ₫305.0K

-28.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$3.34 ₫87.9K

152.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$9.82 ₫258.2K

8.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.07 ₫54.5K

26.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.57 ₫14.9K

152.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.71 ₫18.6K

176.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.08 ₫28.4K

93.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.93 ₫24.5K

98.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.04 ₫27.5K

108.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.71 ₫18.5K

45.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.46 ₫12.1K

132.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$0.75 ₫19.7K

446.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$9.51 ₫250.0K

6.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$0.57 ₫14.9K

194.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$0.93 ₫24.4K

172.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.34 ₫9,040

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$6.61 ₫173.7K

293.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.39 ₫10.3K

728.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.61 ₫16.0K

295.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$3.16 ₫83.0K

2.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.84 ₫22.2K

57.14%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$37.9K ₫995.7M

-21.59%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$33.9K ₫891.9M

-30.25%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$37.69 ₫990.9K

117.59%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$5.85 ₫153.8K

292.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$6.43 ₫169.0K

368.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$21.78 ₫572.6K

138.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$7.65 ₫201.1K

142.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$2.89 ₫75.9K

72.32%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$271 ₫7.1M

-27.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$14.0K ₫367.7M

-61.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$31.38 ₫825.1K

13.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$15.27 ₫401.5K

164.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$77.9 ₫2.0M

1.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$68.3 ₫1.8M

30.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$260 ₫6.8M

264.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$163 ₫4.3M

190.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$618 ₫16.2M

166.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$389 ₫10.2M

211.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,538 ₫40.4M

163.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$954 ₫25.1M

577.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$342 ₫9.0M

91.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.14

24.95%

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 Binh Duong: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $260 in Binh Duong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 91% 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 $12.00 in Binh Duong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $171 per month, with Binh Duong 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 Binh Duong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Binh Duong differ by about 122% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $565 including rent). Binh Duong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 91% 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 $260 in Binh Duong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Binh Duong – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $565 in Binh Duong – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $565 in Binh Duong versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Binh Duong but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Binh Duong 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Binh Duong are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Binh Duong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.