Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cox's Bazar Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cox's Bazar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $353 in Cox's Bazar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $567 in Cox's Bazar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $782 in Cox's Bazar.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 259% more expensive than in Cox's Bazar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Cox's Bazar 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$1.59 ৳195

629.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$12.20 ৳1,497

286.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.00 ৳368

296.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 ৳326

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ৳308

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.01 ৳247

98.01%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.40 ৳48.49

257.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.12 ৳15.17

583.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.76 ৳93.0

121.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.47 ৳58.2

368.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.64 ৳78.0

167.19%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.04 ৳128

163.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.23 ৳887

32.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$2.13 ৳262

323.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.29 ৳895

75.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.34 ৳287

23.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.83 ৳102

80.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.60 ৳197

34.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.49 ৳59.5

361.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.47 ৳57.7

321.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.54 ৳66.4

268.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.45 ৳54.8

173.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.30 ৳36.30

300.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.98 ৳979

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 ৳320

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ৳548

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$1.84 ৳225

147.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.29 ৳35.73

1758.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.36 ৳43.65

936.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$3.96 ৳486

45.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.11 ৳136

38.74%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$32.6K ৳4.0M

-30.82%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$34.4K ৳4.2M

-24.28%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$12.27 ৳1,506

644.74%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$2.59 ৳318

872.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$11.52 ৳1,413

171.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$16.14 ৳1,981

316.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$4.14 ৳508

603.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$2.31 ৳283

110.39%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$24.74 ৳3,036

803.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$1,440 ৳176.7K

193.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$22.92 ৳2,812

105.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$18.27 ৳2,242

142.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$33.08 ৳4,059

142.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$34.76 ৳4,265

166.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$160 ৳19.7K

562.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$98.2 ৳12.0K

297.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$310 ৳38.0K

594.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$160 ৳19.6K

696.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$352 ৳43.2K

1035.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$259 ৳31.8K

2412.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$280 ৳34.4K

170.42%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Cox's Bazar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $160 in Cox's Bazar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 170% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Cox's Bazar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $107 per month, with Cox's Bazar 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 Cox's Bazar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Cox's Bazar differ by about 259% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $353 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 170% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $160 in Cox's Bazar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 159% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $353 in Cox's Bazar – a 259% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $353 in Cox's Bazar versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cox's Bazar but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cox's Bazar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Cox's Bazar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 259% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.