😐A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $315 in Pabna, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $532 in Pabna, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $749 in Pabna, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 300% more than Pabna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Pabna are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen5% lower, Pabna76% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.72MX$204
$2.09৳259
460.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.89MX$731
$12.84৳1,585
226.25%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.51MX$183
$4.94৳610
112.75%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.04৳499
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.78৳591
-
Cappuccino
$3.59MX$62.5
$2.19৳270
63.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51MX$26.31
$0.20৳24.65
655.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92MX$15.96
$0.16৳19.57
475.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.96MX$51.6
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41MX$76.9
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40MX$24.35
$0.51৳62.4
174.51%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.87
$0.70৳86.1
168.57%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.56MX$27.19
$0.54৳67.3
188.89%
Eggs
$2.61MX$45.50
$1.25৳155
108.80%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.32MX$145
$6.80৳839
22.35%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.35MX$146
$1.63৳201
412.27%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86MX$189
$5.44৳672
99.63%
Apples(1kg)
$2.71MX$47.31
$1.62৳200
67.28%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51MX$26.25
$0.64৳78.8
135.94%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.87MX$32.67
$1.50৳185
24.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.19MX$38.19
$0.28৳34.11
682.14%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.40
$0.40৳49.22
365.00%
Onion(1kg)
$2.23MX$38.90
$0.48৳58.9
364.58%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.63
$0.36৳44.07
197.22%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.94
$0.30৳37.44
263.33%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$8.62৳1,064
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$3.98৳491
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.05৳871
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19MX$73.0
$2.88৳355
45.49%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.43MX$182
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66MX$28.91
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$45.56
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.45
$0.20৳24.68
170.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.16MX$456
$10.45৳1,290
150.33%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.08MX$53.7
$1.25৳155
146.40%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.94
$0.39৳48.74
515.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$54.5
$3.17৳392
-1.26%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.87
$1.08৳133
21.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8KMX$519.9K
$28.2K৳3.5M
5.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$406.8K
$28.6K৳3.5M
-18.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.3MX$1,418
$20.56৳2,539
295.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.56MX$393
$4.83৳596
367.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05MX$524
$13.32৳1,645
125.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.9MX$923
$13.34৳1,647
296.63%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39MX$321
$11.78৳1,454
56.11%
Cinema Ticket
$4.92MX$85.8
$4.22৳521
16.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201MX$3,502
$32.40৳4,000
519.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,175MX$90.2K
$1,939৳239.4K
166.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92MX$627
$9.18৳1,133
291.29%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13MX$700
$24.55৳3,032
63.46%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.7MX$1,390
$46.93৳5,795
69.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,508
$36.68৳4,529
135.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$978MX$17.1K
$69.0৳8,518
1317.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$470MX$8,206
$42.06৳5,193
1018.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,651MX$28.8K
$161৳19.9K
923.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,203MX$21.0K
$99.0৳12.2K
1116.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,953MX$69.0K
$713৳88.1K
454.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,607MX$115.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Pabna
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$677MX$11.8K
$122৳15.1K
454.52%
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 Pabna: July 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $69.0 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 455% 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 $13.00 in Pabna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $91.0 – 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 300%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $472 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $32.40 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 in 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 living in Playa del Carmen or in Pabna?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pabna, where all-in costs run around $315, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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