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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $700 in Brest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,107 in Brest, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,514 in Brest, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 85% more than Brest, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Brest are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Brest 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.68 BYN 21.58

52.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$28.62 BYN 80.4

45.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.94 BYN 19.50

53.31%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.50 BYN 4.22

134.67%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.79 BYN 2.21

91.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.72 BYN 2.02

34.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.20 BYN 3.37

145.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.82 BYN 7.93

57.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.87 BYN 2.45

58.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.72 BYN 2.01

162.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.80 BYN 2.25

105.00%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.36 BYN 3.83

84.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.72 BYN 18.88

24.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.55 BYN 9.97

134.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$3.59 BYN 10.10

198.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.30 BYN 3.66

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.66 BYN 4.66

-12.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.69 BYN 4.74

12.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.77 BYN 4.97

17.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.78 BYN 2.20

128.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.80 BYN 2.25

173.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.34 BYN 3.77

-22.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.05 BYN 2.96

2.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$1.87 BYN 5.25

118.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$8.22 BYN 23.10

25.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.09 BYN 3.07

56.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.80 BYN 5.06

43.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.32 BYN 0.91

59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$14.89 BYN 41.83

77.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.10 BYN 5.89

55.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.63 BYN 1.77

295.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$6.20 BYN 17.43

-47.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.82 BYN 2.31

59.76%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$17.9K BYN 50.2K

69.46%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$25.5K BYN 71.7K

-8.23%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$49.51 BYN 139

67.38%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$8.38 BYN 23.54

165.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$22.21 BYN 62.4

32.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$29.05 BYN 81.6

77.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.66 BYN 13.10

8.80%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$302 BYN 849

-33.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$5,778 BYN 16.2K

-9.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$47.24 BYN 133

-21.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$36.43 BYN 102

9.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$101 BYN 285

-22.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$78.7 BYN 221

10.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$345 BYN 970

181.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$171 BYN 480

174.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$482 BYN 1,354

240.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$299 BYN 839

308.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$2,652 BYN 7,452

48.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$3,002 BYN 8,436

116.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$577 BYN 1,621

15.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.82%

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 Brest: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $345 in Brest. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 15% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Brest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $153 – making Brest 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 Brest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 85% more than Brest, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,050 in Brest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Brest, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $29.00 in Brest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Brest, where all-in costs run around $700, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Brest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Brest costs $700 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Brest. 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.