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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $443 in Benin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $798 in Benin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,153 in Benin, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 183% more than Benin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Benin are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Benin 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$2.64 ₦3,630

354.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$50.3 ₦69.2K

-16.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.43 ₦7,475

97.97%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.20 ₦3,031

59.09%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.33 ₦459

339.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.20 ₦275

340.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$0.79 ₦1,088

273.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.45 ₦1,989

211.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.27 ₦3,118

-37.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.24 ₦1,705

48.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.34 ₦3,222

-32.91%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.77 ₦2,435

41.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.41 ₦8,812

29.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.12 ₦5,671

104.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$5.25 ₦7,226

103.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.58 ₦4,930

-27.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.05 ₦2,819

-29.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.13 ₦2,930

-7.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.29 ₦3,150

-8.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.36 ₦3,251

-21.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.93 ₦2,659

12.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.98 ₦2,725

-47.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.38 ₦524

181.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.31 ₦1,801

212.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$2.60 ₦3,571

291.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.64 ₦884

162.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$0.90 ₦1,233

181.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.23 ₦1,698

162.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$2.23 ₦3,072

8.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.80 ₦6,604

-32.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.78 ₦1,076

69.23%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$20.6K ₦28.3M

44.39%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$20.5K ₦28.2M

15.28%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$41.15 ₦56.6K

99.30%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$10.13 ₦13.9K

126.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$34.53 ₦47.5K

-12.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$6.42 ₦8,838

-22.43%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$84.0 ₦115.6K

134.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,328 ₦3.2M

129.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$19.00 ₦26.1K

87.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$24.97 ₦34.3K

61.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$64.8 ₦89.2K

21.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$57.2 ₦78.7K

55.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$109 ₦150.2K

498.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

16.33

-30.07%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Benin: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 499% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.0 in Benin. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $191 in Benin – so Benin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Benin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 183% more than Benin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $665 in Benin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $443 in Benin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $84.0 in Benin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Benin, where all-in costs run around $443, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Benin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Benin costs $443 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Benin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.