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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $358 in Chittagong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $601 in Chittagong, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $844 in Chittagong, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 262% more than Chittagong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Chittagong are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Chittagong 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.65 ৳203

610.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$14.96 ৳1,835

178.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.20 ৳883

47.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 ৳722

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ৳512

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.63 ৳200

115.95%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.36 ৳44.03

319.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.14 ৳16.60

592.86%

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

$0.78 ৳95.7

76.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.57 ৳70.4

231.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.65 ৳79.2

152.31%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.22 ৳149

105.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.28 ৳1,139

-10.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$1.60 ৳197

421.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.25 ৳889

48.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.24 ৳275

16.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.96 ৳118

52.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.10 ৳258

-9.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.80 ৳97.7

160.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.45 ৳54.9

295.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.89 ৳109

146.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.41 ৳49.79

153.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.25 ৳30.41

332.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.59 ৳1,053

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ৳102

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ৳179

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$2.89 ৳354

41.18%

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

$0.16 ৳20.03

218.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$4.12 ৳505

542.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.79 ৳97.1

312.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.43 ৳52.1

479.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$2.50 ৳306

30.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.01 ৳123

29.70%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$33.1K ৳4.1M

-8.40%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$34.3K ৳4.2M

-31.75%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$22.78 ৳2,794

263.78%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$5.77 ৳708

285.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$13.20 ৳1,619

122.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$15.43 ৳1,892

234.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$11.26 ৳1,381

62.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$3.35 ৳410

51.34%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$29.33 ৳3,597

584.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$1,343 ৳164.7K

288.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$20.49 ৳2,513

80.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$18.22 ৳2,235

118.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$52.0 ৳6,382

50.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$33.34 ৳4,089

161.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$131 ৳16.0K

644.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$59.5 ৳7,294

686.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$243 ৳29.8K

576.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$148 ৳18.2K

724.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$805 ৳98.8K

390.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$462 ৳56.7K

1307.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$264 ৳32.4K

151.69%

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 Chittagong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $131 in Chittagong. 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 152% 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 $15.00 in Chittagong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $116 – making Chittagong 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 Chittagong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $358 in Chittagong – roughly 262% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $537 in Chittagong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chittagong, 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 $358 in Chittagong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 542% less in Chittagong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chittagong, where all-in costs run around $358, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Chittagong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $358 in Chittagong to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chittagong. 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.