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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $417 in Dhaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $710 in Dhaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,003 in Dhaka.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 205% more expensive than Dhaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Dhaka 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.40 ৳294

394.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$12.79 ৳1,567

235.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$5.04 ৳618

111.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 ৳517

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 ৳611

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.22 ৳272

55.41%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.32 ৳38.90

368.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.18 ৳21.62

427.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.77 ৳94.4

79.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.66 ৳80.5

180.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.66 ৳80.8

143.94%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.30 ৳160

99.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.79 ৳833

21.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.49 ৳428

139.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$6.41 ৳785

66.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.83 ৳346

-7.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.08 ৳133

37.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.54 ৳312

-24.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.85 ৳104

145.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.44 ৳53.9

322.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.78 ৳95.0

189.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.36 ৳43.54

194.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.28 ৳34.07

289.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.28 ৳1,505

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.90 ৳477

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 ৳852

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.89 ৳354

43.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.39 ৳47.83

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$25.03 ৳3,067

7.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.26 ৳154

148.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.39 ৳48.37

543.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$3.14 ৳384

0.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.06 ৳130

19.81%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$29.1K ৳3.6M

4.25%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$28.3K ৳3.5M

-16.73%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$33.04 ৳4,049

151.21%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$4.77 ৳584

376.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$13.01 ৳1,594

126.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$19.65 ৳2,408

159.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$14.51 ৳1,777

26.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$4.02 ৳493

22.64%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$46.77 ৳5,731

321.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$1,961 ৳240.3K

169.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$18.47 ৳2,263

99.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$23.83 ৳2,920

67.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$46.72 ৳5,725

71.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$36.33 ৳4,452

146.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$115 ৳14.1K

728.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$64.2 ৳7,864

643.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$314 ৳38.5K

424.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$190 ৳23.3K

545.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,489 ৳182.4K

163.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$667 ৳81.8K

868.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$288 ৳35.2K

131.92%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $115 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 132% 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 $250 vs $122 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 205% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 132% 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $115 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $417 in Dhaka – a 205% 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 $417 in Dhaka versus $1,271 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 205% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.