😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $364 in Narsingdi.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $586 in Narsingdi.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $809 in Narsingdi.
🌍Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 259% more expensive than in Narsingdi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen5% lower, Narsingdi74% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Narsingdi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96MX$203
$2.05৳252
483.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38MX$804
$12.20৳1,498
288.36%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.75MX$199
$5.38৳661
118.40%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.59৳319
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.01৳493
-
Cappuccino
$4.12MX$70.0
$1.92৳236
114.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40MX$23.74
$0.36৳44.74
288.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91MX$15.48
$0.15৳18.34
506.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.21MX$54.4
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07MX$120
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Narsingdi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.44
$0.77৳94.4
118.18%
White Bread(500g)
$2.15MX$36.48
$0.55৳68.0
290.91%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77MX$30.10
$0.67৳82.3
164.18%
Eggs
$2.82MX$47.76
$1.12৳137
151.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.20MX$156
$7.49৳920
22.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.23MX$157
$2.06৳253
348.06%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.64MX$214
$7.47৳918
69.21%
Apples(1kg)
$2.95MX$50.1
$2.28৳280
29.39%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58MX$26.79
$0.88৳108
79.55%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.22MX$37.70
$2.08৳256
6.73%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.36MX$40.09
$0.82৳101
187.80%
Potato(1kg)
$1.99MX$33.81
$0.43৳52.6
362.79%
Onion(1kg)
$1.98MX$33.58
$0.85৳104
132.94%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.24MX$21.04
$0.46৳56.4
169.57%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21MX$20.55
$0.31৳37.87
290.32%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$8.54৳1,048
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.79৳97.6
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.50৳184
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60MX$78.1
$2.92৳359
57.53%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.52MX$178
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69MX$28.70
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77MX$47.06
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Narsingdi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.22
$0.39৳47.74
53.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.70MX$504
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.24MX$88.8
$0.78৳95.4
571.79%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.65MX$61.9
$0.60৳73.1
508.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.78MX$98.1
$3.99৳490
44.86%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.09
$1.05৳129
46.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8KMX$386.8K
$32.1K৳3.9M
-29.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8KMX$437.9K
$44.1K৳5.4M
-41.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Narsingdi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$90.7MX$1,538
$29.84৳3,666
203.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19MX$427
$5.54৳681
354.69%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75MX$539
$12.51৳1,537
153.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Narsingdi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$68.8MX$1,167
$12.61৳1,549
445.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37MX$498
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$82.5
$3.71৳456
31.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Narsingdi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$226MX$3,828
$35.71৳4,387
531.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,194MX$71.1K
$1,491৳183.2K
181.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Narsingdi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38MX$804
$23.26৳2,857
103.70%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45MX$737
$19.72৳2,422
120.33%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.2MX$1,361
$55.9৳6,872
43.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4MX$1,550
$34.99৳4,299
161.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Narsingdi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,086MX$18.4K
$94.7৳11.6K
1046.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$409MX$6,933
$47.61৳5,848
758.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,972MX$33.5K
$188৳23.1K
947.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,281MX$21.7K
$119৳14.6K
979.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,046MX$68.6K
$656৳80.5K
517.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,704MX$113.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Narsingdi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$773MX$13.1K
-
-
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 7, 2026
Last update for Narsingdi: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $94.7 in Narsingdi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Narsingdi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $113 per month, with Narsingdi 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 Narsingdi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Narsingdi cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Narsingdi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 259% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $545 in Narsingdi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Narsingdi?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $94.7 in Narsingdi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $226 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.71 in Narsingdi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Narsingdi?
Dining out is cheaper in Narsingdi – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Narsingdi?
At $364 in Narsingdi versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Narsingdi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Narsingdi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Narsingdi more family-friendly?
For families, Narsingdi 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Narsingdi 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared