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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $674 in Binjai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,018 in Binjai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,363 in Binjai.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 89% more expensive than Binjai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Binjai 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

675.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$12.52 Rp 224.3K

242.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.39 Rp 60.8K

214.16%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.67 Rp 30.0K

106.59%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.55 Rp 9,916

172.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.28 Rp 5,036

239.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.51 Rp 45.0K

20.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.51 Rp 62.9K

31.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.23 Rp 22.1K

12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

63.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

80.90%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

71.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.34 Rp 149.5K

-0.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.25 Rp 58.3K

157.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.93 Rp 142.1K

34.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

10.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.89 Rp 33.9K

1.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.51 Rp 27.0K

38.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

40.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

20.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.91 Rp 16.2K

16.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.41 Rp 7,380

165.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.52 Rp 45.2K

64.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$20.24 Rp 362.6K

-48.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.08 Rp 37.3K

-17.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.06 Rp 54.8K

-14.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.29 Rp 5,278

86.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$9.98 Rp 178.8K

169.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

458.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.35 Rp 6,252

617.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.97 Rp 53.1K

6.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

53.01%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$24.4K Rp 437.2M

24.47%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$27.8K Rp 497.3M

-15.09%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$68.6 Rp 1.2M

20.92%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

425.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$22.56 Rp 404.3K

30.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$22.96 Rp 411.4K

122.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$6.13 Rp 109.9K

199.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

57.51%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

107.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$7,473 Rp 133.9M

-29.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$40.89 Rp 732.6K

-9.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$30.93 Rp 554.2K

28.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$66.8 Rp 1.2M

19.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

23.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$258 Rp 4.6M

271.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$160 Rp 2.9M

198.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$577 Rp 10.3M

185.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$339 Rp 6.1M

260.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,189 Rp 21.3M

229.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$611 Rp 10.9M

957.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Binjai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $258 in Binjai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $13.00 in Binjai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $207 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 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $1,011 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $258 in Binjai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $674 in Binjai – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Binjai runs roughly 170% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $674 in Binjai versus $1,271 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 89% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.