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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $441 in Benin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $745 in Benin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,049 in Benin, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 196% more than Benin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Benin are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Benin 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$1.38 ₦1,825

766.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$50.9 ₦67.5K

-6.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$5.78 ₦7,655

103.29%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.89 ₦3,831

42.56%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.29 ₦388

382.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.16 ₦218

468.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$0.97 ₦1,291

230.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.01 ₦1,342

600.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$3.05 ₦4,039

-44.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.78 ₦1,031

175.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.21 ₦1,603

46.28%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.28 ₦3,019

23.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$3.50 ₦4,644

162.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.82 ₦5,064

141.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$4.38 ₦5,799

188.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.69 ₦2,243

74.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.26 ₦1,673

25.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.15 ₦1,526

93.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.28 ₦1,693

84.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.33 ₦1,760

49.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.32 ₦1,756

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.86 ₦1,134

44.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.37 ₦489

227.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$0.54 ₦719

751.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$2.70 ₦3,583

289.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.55 ₦723

207.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$0.47 ₦619

489.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.65 ₦856

706.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.99 ₦1,307

268.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$2.22 ₦2,937

160.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.74 ₦978

108.11%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$11.5K ₦15.3M

97.49%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$13.6K ₦18.1M

89.47%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$112 ₦147.9K

-18.75%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$16.10 ₦21.3K

56.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$32.40 ₦42.9K

-2.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.80 ₦6,363

1.25%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$661 ₦875.9K

-65.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$20.0K ₦26.5M

-79.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$14.73 ₦19.5K

221.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$18.08 ₦24.0K

140.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$36.46 ₦48.3K

120.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$49.61 ₦65.7K

84.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$114 ₦150.9K

579.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

18.05

-36.57%

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 Benin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 579% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $51.0 in Benin. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $146 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 196% 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $661 in Benin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $441 in Benin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $661 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 $441, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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 $441 versus $1,305 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.