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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $656 in Binjai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,018 in Binjai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,380 in Binjai.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 96% more expensive than Binjai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Binjai 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$1.57 Rp 27.2K

660.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$12.22 Rp 211.8K

249.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.47 Rp 60.1K

205.19%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.67 Rp 28.9K

116.77%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.52 Rp 8,991

182.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.26 Rp 4,492

261.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.51 Rp 43.6K

23.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.56 Rp 61.6K

25.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.22 Rp 21.2K

17.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.13 Rp 19.6K

66.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.88 Rp 15.2K

85.23%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.53 Rp 26.4K

72.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.10 Rp 140.5K

1.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.14 Rp 54.4K

164.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$8.11 Rp 140.5K

36.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.36 Rp 40.9K

12.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.45 Rp 25.1K

3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.82 Rp 31.5K

9.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.56 Rp 27.0K

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.36 Rp 23.6K

31.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.94 Rp 33.6K

12.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.92 Rp 15.9K

17.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.45 Rp 7,726

131.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.51 Rp 43.4K

58.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$20.98 Rp 363.6K

-51.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.01 Rp 34.9K

-13.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.08 Rp 53.3K

-18.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.32 Rp 5,576

62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$9.64 Rp 167.1K

179.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.57 Rp 9,952

450.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.34 Rp 5,942

605.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.95 Rp 51.2K

4.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

51.19%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$24.9K Rp 432.0M

23.89%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$27.7K Rp 480.8M

-15.95%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$70.9 Rp 1.2M

15.67%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$4.37 Rp 75.7K

413.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$22.73 Rp 394.0K

30.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$22.86 Rp 396.3K

126.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$6.12 Rp 106.0K

205.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.04 Rp 52.7K

63.49%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$94.8 Rp 1.6M

108.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$7,443 Rp 129.0M

-29.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$41.01 Rp 710.7K

-11.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$30.78 Rp 533.4K

30.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$66.6 Rp 1.2M

19.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$73.3 Rp 1.3M

21.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$255 Rp 4.4M

277.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$158 Rp 2.7M

194.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$575 Rp 10.0M

177.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$329 Rp 5.7M

267.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,258 Rp 21.8M

213.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$858 Rp 14.9M

651.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.15

24.81%

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 Binjai: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $255 in Binjai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Binjai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $208 per month, with Binjai 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 Binjai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Binjai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $985 in Binjai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $255 in Binjai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $656 in Binjai – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Binjai runs roughly 180% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $656 in Binjai versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Binjai but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Binjai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Binjai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Binjai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.