Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Gabane

For one person, living is cheaper in Gabane: $117 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year.

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Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,202

/mo nomad

Gabane

🇧🇼 Botswana

$117

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Gabane

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Gabane actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $117 in Gabane, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,202
Gabane $117

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $162 in Gabane, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Gabane $162

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $208 in Gabane, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,962
Gabane $208

Playa del Carmen costs about 928% more than Gabane.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gabane are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Gabane 91% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.67 MX$199

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.80 MX$815

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 MX$219

Cappuccino

$3.79 MX$70.5

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

$1.30 MX$24.14

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$15.51

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$58.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$91.8

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.22

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$40.86

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MX$27.40

Eggs

$2.50 MX$46.46

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 MX$136

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.95 MX$148

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.86 MX$239

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MX$53.9

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MX$25.74

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MX$46.35

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$37.77

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$37.68

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$35.42

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MX$21.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 MX$23.05

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$79.5

Wine (Bottle)

$9.81 MX$183

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$29.51

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 MX$51.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$9.58

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.39 MX$510

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 MX$88.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 MX$60.5

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$28.44

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

$21.2K MX$394.8K

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

$23.3K MX$432.9K

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

$83.5 MX$1,554

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

$23.19 MX$431

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.61 MX$514

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 MX$1,050

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.19 MX$525

Cinema Ticket

$5.00 MX$93.1

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

$207 MX$3,854

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,231 MX$97.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.45 MX$809

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.54 MX$792

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 MX$1,354

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 MX$1,645

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$18.5K

$161 P 2,161

519.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 MX$7,116

$117 P 1,573

226.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,674 MX$31.2K

$299 P 4,029

459.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 MX$20.1K

$208 P 2,798

419.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,909 MX$72.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,138 MX$114.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$832 MX$15.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Gabane: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$382 31.8%

Gabane

–

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$257 21.4%

Gabane

–

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.7%

Gabane

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$134 11.2%

Gabane

–

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$111 9.3%

Gabane

–

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$66 5.5%

Gabane

–

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Gabane

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $161 in Gabane. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇧🇼 Gabane

🕒 Local time

07:10 7:10 AM

14:10 2:10 PM

7 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

14,842

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Botswana Pula BWP P

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.37 USD

100 MXN = 4.8 EUR

100 BWP = 7.43 USD

100 BWP = 6.64 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BWP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.83 MXN (100 MXN = 4.8 EUR).

Botswana Pula exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 13.45 BWP (100 BWP = 7.43 USD). 1 EUR = 15.06 BWP (100 BWP = 6.64 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Playa del Carmen Gabane 13,180 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Gabane

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Gabane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 928% more than Gabane, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $175 in Gabane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gabane, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $161 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Gabane, where all-in costs run around $117, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,202. In Gabane 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 $117 in Gabane to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.