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: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $433 in Dhaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Playa del Carmen versus $725 in Dhaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,341 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,017 in Dhaka.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 207% more expensive than in Dhaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Dhaka 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$2.42 ৳295

438.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$12.25 ৳1,495

277.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$4.97 ৳606

153.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 ৳618

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 ৳494

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.37 ৳289

68.78%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.33 ৳39.66

330.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.19 ৳23.71

326.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$0.86 ৳104

98.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$0.57 ৳69.8

289.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.63 ৳76.7

173.02%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.17 ৳143

131.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$9.11 ৳1,111

2.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$3.48 ৳424

154.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$6.65 ৳811

92.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$2.79 ৳340

12.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$0.89 ৳108

74.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$2.45 ৳298

-12.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$0.67 ৳81.4

250.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.22 ৳26.81

818.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.50 ৳61.2

298.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.34 ৳41.85

264.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.28 ৳33.74

325.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.11 ৳1,477

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.62 ৳686

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.70 ৳817

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$3.34 ৳407

39.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.39 ৳48.02

43.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$24.17 ৳2,950

23.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$1.20 ৳147

343.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.43 ৳52.0

765.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$3.35 ৳409

72.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.12 ৳136

38.39%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$29.2K ৳3.6M

-23.48%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$32.0K ৳3.9M

-20.09%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$46.17 ৳5,633

93.37%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$3.93 ৳479

492.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$12.16 ৳1,484

160.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$17.17 ৳2,095

300.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$14.64 ৳1,786

100.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$3.99 ৳487

26.82%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$95.1 ৳11.6K

133.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$2,932 ৳357.8K

46.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$16.65 ৳2,031

177.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$21.28 ৳2,597

108.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$50.8 ৳6,198

87.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$37.12 ৳4,530

149.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$144 ৳17.6K

640.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$69.8 ৳8,515

463.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$425 ৳51.9K

367.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$217 ৳26.4K

501.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$1,639 ৳199.9K

146.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$755 ৳92.1K

777.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$254 ৳31.0K

193.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

10.98

5.65%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Dhaka: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $144 in Dhaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 194% 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: $46.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Dhaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $125 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, Getting Around. The 207% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 194% 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $144 in Dhaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $433 in Dhaka – a 207% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dhaka runs roughly 23% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $433 in Dhaka versus $1,330 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 207% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.