😐A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $325 in Pabna, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $530 in Pabna, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $735 in Pabna, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 290% more than Pabna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Pabna are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen7% lower, Pabna76% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60MX$200
$2.05৳253
465.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11MX$811
$12.95৳1,598
263.78%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.88MX$205
$4.74৳586
150.63%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.86৳600
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.02৳496
-
Cappuccino
$3.98MX$68.5
$2.38৳294
67.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43MX$24.57
$0.23৳27.79
521.74%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82MX$14.20
$0.16৳19.79
412.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.19MX$54.9
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79MX$117
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.85
$0.54৳67.1
211.11%
White Bread(500g)
$2.20MX$37.83
$0.63৳77.5
249.21%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.71MX$29.41
$0.51৳62.6
235.29%
Eggs
$2.74MX$47.20
$1.06৳131
158.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.58MX$165
$8.98৳1,108
6.68%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.01MX$155
$1.64৳203
449.39%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.81MX$221
$5.19৳641
146.82%
Apples(1kg)
$2.89MX$49.74
$1.59৳197
81.76%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.78
$0.67৳83.3
123.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15MX$36.98
$1.50৳185
43.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.91
$0.27৳32.93
737.04%
Potato(1kg)
$1.98MX$34.10
$0.23৳28.33
760.87%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.26
$0.43৳52.8
362.79%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.23MX$21.25
$0.34৳42.55
261.76%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20MX$20.60
$0.23৳28.21
421.74%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$8.88৳1,096
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$5.44৳671
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.62৳817
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55MX$78.3
$3.16৳390
43.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.37MX$179
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.88
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88MX$49.60
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.34
$0.36৳44.14
66.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.80MX$496
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.39MX$92.8
$1.21৳149
345.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.73MX$64.2
$0.42৳52.4
788.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.77MX$99.3
$3.29৳406
75.38%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.45
$1.11৳137
38.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5KMX$388.3K
$29.8K৳3.7M
-24.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KMX$448.7K
$32.7K৳4.0M
-20.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$91.4MX$1,573
$20.54৳2,535
344.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20MX$434
$3.85৳475
554.55%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24MX$538
$11.23৳1,386
178.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$67.2MX$1,157
$14.91৳1,840
350.70%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11MX$501
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$83.7
$4.01৳495
21.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$224MX$3,851
$25.85৳3,190
765.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,229MX$72.8K
$1,159৳143.1K
264.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10MX$811
$8.20৳1,012
474.39%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29MX$763
$20.16৳2,488
119.69%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.1MX$1,379
$51.1৳6,302
56.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7MX$1,596
$36.54৳4,509
153.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,063MX$18.3K
$89.4৳11.0K
1088.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$390MX$6,719
$51.3৳6,334
660.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,149MX$37.0K
$171৳21.1K
1154.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,272MX$21.9K
$118৳14.6K
977.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,001MX$68.9K
$693৳85.5K
477.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,502MX$112.0K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$758MX$13.1K
$124৳15.3K
512.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
10.48
9.26%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026
Last update for Pabna: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $89.4 in Pabna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 512% 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 $13.00 in Pabna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $94.0 – making Pabna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Pabna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pabna cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 290%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $487 in Pabna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Pabna, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Pabna?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $325 in Pabna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $25.85 in Pabna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Pabna?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pabna, where all-in costs run around $325, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Pabna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Pabna more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Pabna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Pabna. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared