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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $320 in Pabna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $527 in Pabna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $733 in Pabna, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 297% more than Pabna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Pabna are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Pabna 76% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87 MX$204
$2.02 ৳247
487.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90 MX$736
$12.67 ৳1,553
238.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.65 MX$183
$4.95 ৳606
115.15%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.00 ৳490
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.95 ৳606
-
Cappuccino
$3.45 MX$59.2
$2.20 ৳270
56.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 MX$25.81
$0.20 ৳24.46
650.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95 MX$16.28
$0.14 ৳17.63
578.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$51.9
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 MX$79.1
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.61
$0.50 ৳60.7
176.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 MX$31.70
$0.66 ৳80.7
180.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.65
$0.50 ৳61.8
222.00%
Eggs
$2.59 MX$44.51
$1.31 ৳160
97.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.26 MX$142
$6.75 ৳827
22.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 MX$144
$1.63 ৳200
413.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.66 MX$183
$5.43 ৳665
96.32%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 MX$45.12
$1.68 ৳206
56.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.53
$0.63 ৳77.7
136.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 MX$32.94
$1.50 ৳184
28.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$35.81
$0.30 ৳37.12
596.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$31.88
$0.40 ৳48.88
365.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.81
$0.45 ৳54.8
402.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 MX$18.23
$0.33 ৳40.17
221.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.67
$0.28 ৳34.24
289.29%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$12.06 ৳1,478
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$3.98 ৳488
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.04 ৳863
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15 MX$71.2
$3.03 ৳371
36.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.39 MX$178
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 MX$29.59
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$44.85
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.30
$0.22 ৳26.99
145.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.94 MX$462
$10.15 ৳1,244
165.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$53.7
$1.26 ৳155
148.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 MX$43.09
$0.39 ৳48.26
543.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 MX$54.1
$3.13 ৳384
0.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$21.88
$1.03 ৳126
23.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K MX$521.3K
$29.0K ৳3.6M
4.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K MX$404.5K
$28.2K ৳3.5M
-16.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 MX$1,425
$20.86 ৳2,557
297.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71 MX$390
$4.61 ৳565
392.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46 MX$506
$13.19 ৳1,616
123.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 MX$875
$13.52 ৳1,657
277.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33 MX$315
$11.94 ৳1,463
53.52%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93 MX$84.5
$4.05 ৳496
21.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,386
$33.45 ৳4,100
489.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,280 MX$90.6K
$1,982 ৳242.9K
166.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90 MX$633
$9.10 ৳1,115
305.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89 MX$685
$24.28 ৳2,975
64.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.0 MX$1,373
$47.47 ৳5,817
68.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5 MX$1,536
$36.03 ৳4,415
148.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$956 MX$16.4K
$70.3 ৳8,614
1260.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$477 MX$8,189
$41.87 ৳5,130
1039.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,646 MX$28.3K
$164 ৳20.1K
904.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,225 MX$21.0K
$97.9 ৳12.0K
1151.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,918 MX$67.2K
$730 ৳89.4K
437.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,459 MX$110.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$667 MX$11.4K
$121 ৳14.9K
450.37%
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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Pabna: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $70.3 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 450% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Pabna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $90.0 – 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 297%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $480 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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $33.45 in Pabna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Pabna?
Groceries cost about 178% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Pabna?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pabna, where all-in costs run around $320, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.

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