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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $349 in Brahmanbaria, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $568 in Brahmanbaria, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $787 in Brahmanbaria, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 274% more than Brahmanbaria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Brahmanbaria are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Brahmanbaria 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$1.97 ৳242

507.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$12.17 ৳1,495

289.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$5.38 ৳661

118.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ৳331

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 ৳495

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.92 ৳236

114.58%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.37 ৳44.86

278.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.12 ৳15.22

658.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.82 ৳100

104.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.60 ৳74.1

258.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.68 ৳83.0

160.29%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.01 ৳124

179.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$7.35 ৳903

25.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$1.54 ৳189

499.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.35 ৳903

71.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.26 ৳278

30.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.83 ৳102

90.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.97 ৳242

12.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.81 ৳99.0

191.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.44 ৳53.7

352.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.79 ৳97.2

150.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.46 ৳56.6

169.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.33 ৳40.94

266.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.66 ৳1,064

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ৳96.3

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ৳185

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.04 ৳374

51.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.43 ৳52.3

39.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.77 ৳95.0

580.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.55 ৳68.0

563.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$3.97 ৳488

45.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.05 ৳129

46.67%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$32.5K ৳4.0M

-29.78%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$44.7K ৳5.5M

-42.25%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$29.88 ৳3,671

203.45%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$5.39 ৳662

367.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$12.36 ৳1,518

156.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$13.76 ৳1,690

399.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$3.59 ৳441

35.38%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$35.77 ৳4,394

530.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$1,484 ৳182.3K

182.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$22.46 ৳2,758

110.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$19.89 ৳2,443

118.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$57.0 ৳7,004

40.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$35.28 ৳4,334

159.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$89.0 ৳10.9K

1119.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$51.4 ৳6,316

694.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$169 ৳20.8K

1067.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$118 ৳14.5K

985.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$688 ৳84.5K

487.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$267 ৳32.8K

2412.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.5

-0.43%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Brahmanbaria: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $89.0 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $12.00 in Brahmanbaria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $110 – 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 274%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $524 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $349 in Brahmanbaria. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $35.77 in Brahmanbaria. 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 Brahmanbaria, where all-in costs run around $349, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.