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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $415 in Dhaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $705 in Dhaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $995 in Dhaka.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 210% more expensive than Dhaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Dhaka 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.42 ৳297

393.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$12.53 ৳1,539

241.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.94 ৳607

114.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.11 ৳505

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 ৳615

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.18 ৳268

66.06%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.32 ৳39.01

359.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.16 ৳20.10

487.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.76 ৳93.9

88.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.66 ৳80.7

184.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.66 ৳81.2

146.97%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.26 ৳154

109.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.68 ৳820

22.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.46 ৳425

139.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.50 ৳798

70.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.79 ৳342

-5.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.12 ৳138

33.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.67 ৳328

-25.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.90 ৳111

131.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.47 ৳57.4

280.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.79 ৳96.8

175.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.36 ৳43.60

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.30 ৳37.36

246.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.34 ৳1,515

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.91 ৳480

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 ৳877

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.90 ৳356

36.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.40 ৳49.03

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$24.92 ৳3,060

8.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.25 ৳153

151.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.39 ৳48.07

515.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$3.04 ৳373

1.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.06 ৳130

19.81%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$28.8K ৳3.5M

7.24%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$28.4K ৳3.5M

-17.87%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$32.13 ৳3,944

155.24%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$4.71 ৳578

376.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$13.35 ৳1,639

122.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$19.36 ৳2,377

167.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$14.43 ৳1,772

29.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.19 ৳514

18.62%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$47.21 ৳5,796

319.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$1,929 ৳236.8K

173.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$18.22 ৳2,236

99.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$23.80 ৳2,921

68.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$47.14 ৳5,788

69.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$36.51 ৳4,483

143.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$119 ৳14.6K

707.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$64.0 ৳7,852

626.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$306 ৳37.5K

422.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$187 ৳22.9K

548.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,306 ৳160.3K

201.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$621 ৳76.2K

938.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$304 ৳37.4K

136.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.52

8.56%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $119 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 137% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $13.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $123 per month, with Dhaka 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 Dhaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhaka is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 210% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 137% more on average, 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $119 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $415 in Dhaka – a 210% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 8% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $415 in Dhaka versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dhaka but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Dhaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dhaka is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Dhaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 210% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.