😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $327 in Noakhali.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $559 in Noakhali.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $790 in Noakhali.
🌍Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 285% more expensive than in Noakhali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen5% lower, Noakhali75% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Noakhali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.72MX$203
$2.51৳309
366.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.89MX$726
$12.94৳1,597
223.72%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.51MX$182
$5.02৳620
109.36%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.06৳501
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.86৳600
-
Cappuccino
$3.59MX$62.1
$2.30৳284
56.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51MX$26.13
$0.31৳38.82
387.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92MX$15.86
$0.19৳23.60
384.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.96MX$51.2
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41MX$76.4
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Noakhali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40MX$24.19
$0.68৳84.3
105.88%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.65
$0.70৳86.7
168.57%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.56MX$27.01
$0.58৳72.0
168.97%
Eggs
$2.61MX$45.20
$1.22৳151
113.93%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.32MX$144
$6.99৳863
19.03%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.35MX$145
$1.36৳167
513.97%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86MX$188
$6.62৳817
64.05%
Apples(1kg)
$2.71MX$47.00
$2.03৳251
33.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51MX$26.08
$0.85৳105
77.65%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.87MX$32.46
$2.39৳295
-21.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.19MX$37.94
$0.34৳42.53
544.12%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.18
$0.32৳40.10
481.25%
Onion(1kg)
$2.23MX$38.64
$0.51৳63.3
337.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.51
$0.35৳43.24
205.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.82
$0.24৳29.57
354.17%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$12.04৳1,486
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$3.85৳475
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.12৳878
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19MX$72.5
$3.04৳375
37.83%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.43MX$181
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66MX$28.72
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$45.26
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Noakhali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.39
$0.20৳24.64
170.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.16MX$453
$10.15৳1,253
157.73%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.08MX$53.3
$1.19৳147
158.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.66
$0.40৳49.16
500.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$54.2
$2.47৳305
26.72%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.72
$0.97৳119
35.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8KMX$516.4K
$29.0K৳3.6M
2.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$404.1K
$28.6K৳3.5M
-18.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Noakhali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.3MX$1,408
$16.68৳2,060
387.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.56MX$391
$4.14৳510
444.93%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05MX$521
$13.20৳1,630
127.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Noakhali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.9MX$917
$13.62৳1,681
288.47%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39MX$319
$11.79৳1,455
55.98%
Cinema Ticket
$4.92MX$85.2
$4.02৳496
22.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Noakhali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201MX$3,479
$47.02৳5,804
327.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,175MX$89.7K
$1,944৳240.0K
166.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Noakhali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92MX$622
$18.85৳2,327
90.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13MX$695
$24.02৳2,965
67.07%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.7MX$1,381
$47.39৳5,850
68.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,498
$36.77৳4,539
135.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Noakhali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$978MX$16.9K
$69.8৳8,611
1302.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$470MX$8,152
$41.17৳5,082
1042.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,651MX$28.6K
$162৳19.9K
922.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,203MX$20.9K
$95.6৳11.8K
1158.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,953MX$68.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,607MX$114.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Noakhali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$677MX$11.7K
$411৳50.7K
64.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
10.52
8.56%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026
Last update for Noakhali: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $69.8 in Noakhali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Playa del Carmen pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $13.00 in Noakhali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $102 per month, with Noakhali 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 Noakhali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Noakhali?
Noakhali wins on cost – living expenses run 285% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Noakhali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or in Noakhali?
Average pay runs 65% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Noakhali?
Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $69.8 in Noakhali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or in Noakhali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 148% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Noakhali?
Dining out is cheaper in Noakhali – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or in Noakhali?
At $327 in Noakhali versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Noakhali but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Noakhali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Noakhali?
Both work as nomad bases, but Noakhali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $327 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Noakhali hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Noakhali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 285% 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