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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $441 in Benin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $809 in Benin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,177 in Benin, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 194% more than Benin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Benin are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Benin 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.51 ₦3,417

367.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$49.30 ₦67.1K

-15.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.44 ₦7,402

95.59%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.20 ₦2,989

60.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.33 ₦454

357.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.22 ₦300

340.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$0.80 ₦1,092

268.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.44 ₦1,961

209.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.28 ₦3,104

-39.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.20 ₦1,638

57.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.22 ₦3,029

-26.13%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.72 ₦2,337

45.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.34 ₦8,627

31.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.32 ₦5,876

93.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$5.32 ₦7,241

101.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.43 ₦4,675

-24.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.11 ₦2,873

-30.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.16 ₦2,948

-12.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.31 ₦3,141

-9.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.37 ₦3,221

-24.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.93 ₦2,631

13.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.99 ₦2,704

-47.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.39 ₦528

176.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.27 ₦1,728

221.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$2.62 ₦3,568

293.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.63 ₦856

171.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$0.88 ₦1,199

193.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.24 ₦1,683

162.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.26 ₦3,072

10.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$4.59 ₦6,248

-29.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.78 ₦1,059

67.95%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$20.7K ₦28.2M

45.97%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.9K ₦28.4M

12.25%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$41.88 ₦57.0K

97.87%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$10.07 ₦13.7K

120.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$34.35 ₦46.8K

-14.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.29 ₦8,570

-19.40%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$84.5 ₦115.0K

137.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$2,332 ₦3.2M

123.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$19.31 ₦26.3K

91.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$24.64 ₦33.6K

61.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$65.4 ₦89.1K

19.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$57.6 ₦78.4K

51.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$109 ₦148.1K

510.56%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Benin: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 511% 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 $49.00 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 194% 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $662 in Benin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $84.5 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 $1,297. 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 $1,297 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.