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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $338 in Brahmanbaria, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $585 in Brahmanbaria, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $831 in Brahmanbaria, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 283% more than Brahmanbaria, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Brahmanbaria are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Brahmanbaria 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.66 ৳204

606.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$14.69 ৳1,802

183.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.31 ৳897

45.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.71 ৳700

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 ৳492

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.60 ৳196

120.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.36 ৳43.61

319.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.13 ৳15.84

646.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.73 ৳89.6

89.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.57 ৳70.2

231.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.65 ৳79.3

152.31%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$0.96 ৳118

161.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.27 ৳1,137

-10.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$1.50 ৳184

456.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.29 ৳894

47.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.17 ৳266

19.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.97 ৳119

50.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.11 ৳259

-9.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.86 ৳106

141.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.48 ৳58.7

270.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.88 ৳108

148.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.40 ৳49.67

160.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.25 ৳30.41

332.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.67 ৳1,064

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ৳103

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ৳183

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$2.90 ৳356

40.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.22 ৳27.03

131.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$10.12 ৳1,242

161.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.84 ৳103

288.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.39 ৳48.08

538.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$2.40 ৳294

35.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.05 ৳129

24.76%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$32.8K ৳4.0M

-7.65%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$34.1K ৳4.2M

-31.39%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$22.81 ৳2,798

263.31%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$5.81 ৳713

282.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$13.03 ৳1,599

125.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$13.20 ৳1,619

291.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$11.69 ৳1,434

56.72%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$3.19 ৳392

58.93%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$29.80 ৳3,655

573.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$1,351 ৳165.7K

285.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$20.68 ৳2,537

78.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$18.70 ৳2,293

112.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$52.5 ৳6,443

49.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$33.38 ৳4,095

160.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$69.9 ৳8,577

1290.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$41.26 ৳5,062

1033.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$167 ৳20.5K

882.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$98.7 ৳12.1K

1137.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$695 ৳85.3K

467.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$440 ৳54.0K

1376.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.67

-2.14%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Brahmanbaria: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $69.9 in Brahmanbaria. 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 $15.00 in Brahmanbaria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $114 – making Brahmanbaria 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 Brahmanbaria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 283%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $508 in Brahmanbaria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Brahmanbaria, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $338 in Brahmanbaria. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 161% less in Brahmanbaria. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Brahmanbaria, where all-in costs run around $338, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Brahmanbaria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Brahmanbaria. 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.