😐A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $363 in Sylhet, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $616 in Sylhet, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $870 in Sylhet, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 249% more than Sylhet, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Sylhet are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen7% lower, Sylhet73% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Sylhet
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60MX$200
$2.42৳297
379.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11MX$812
$11.31৳1,387
316.53%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.88MX$205
$4.09৳502
190.46%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.77৳585
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.01৳493
-
Cappuccino
$3.98MX$68.6
$2.06৳253
93.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43MX$24.60
$0.31৳37.51
361.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82MX$14.22
$0.16৳19.12
412.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.19MX$55.0
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79MX$117
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Sylhet
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.89
$0.83৳102
102.41%
White Bread(500g)
$2.20MX$37.88
$0.56৳69.1
292.86%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.71MX$29.45
$0.63৳77.6
171.43%
Eggs
$2.74MX$47.26
$1.22৳150
124.59%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.58MX$165
$7.56৳927
26.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.01MX$155
$3.34৳410
169.76%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.81MX$221
$6.40৳785
100.16%
Apples(1kg)
$2.89MX$49.81
$2.65৳325
9.06%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.81
$0.92৳113
63.04%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15MX$37.03
$2.35৳288
-8.51%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.96
$0.63৳76.9
258.73%
Potato(1kg)
$1.98MX$34.15
$0.25৳30.88
692.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.30
$0.48৳59.0
314.58%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.23MX$21.28
$0.35৳42.42
251.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20MX$20.63
$0.29৳35.79
313.79%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$2.86৳351
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.02৳248
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.03৳494
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55MX$78.5
$2.82৳346
61.35%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.37MX$179
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.91
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88MX$49.67
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Sylhet
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.35
$0.75৳92.1
-20.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.80MX$497
$24.48৳3,004
17.65%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.39MX$92.9
$1.24৳152
334.68%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.73MX$64.3
$0.14৳17.43
2564.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.77MX$99.5
$1.16৳143
397.41%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.48
$1.03৳127
49.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5KMX$388.8K
$29.4K৳3.6M
-23.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KMX$449.3K
$32.0K৳3.9M
-18.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Sylhet
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$91.4MX$1,576
$25.58৳3,139
257.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20MX$435
$4.02৳493
526.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24MX$539
$11.33৳1,390
175.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Sylhet
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$67.2MX$1,159
$9.38৳1,151
616.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11MX$502
$4.01৳492
625.94%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$83.8
$4.11৳505
18.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Sylhet
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$224MX$3,856
$28.85৳3,540
675.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,229MX$72.9K
$992৳121.7K
326.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Sylhet
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10MX$812
$15.85৳1,944
197.16%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29MX$764
$16.50৳2,025
168.42%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.1MX$1,381
$36.02৳4,419
122.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7MX$1,598
$29.63৳3,636
212.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Sylhet
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,063MX$18.3K
$130৳15.9K
718.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$390MX$6,728
$57.9৳7,108
573.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,149MX$37.1K
$173৳21.2K
1145.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,272MX$21.9K
$159৳19.5K
700.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,001MX$69.0K
$703৳86.3K
468.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,502MX$112.1K
$348৳42.8K
1766.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Sylhet
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$758MX$13.1K
$223৳27.3K
240.63%
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 Sylhet: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $130 in Sylhet. 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 241% 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 $11.00 in Sylhet. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $118 – making Sylhet 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 Sylhet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sylhet cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 249%, 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 $544 in Sylhet. 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 Sylhet, 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 Sylhet?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $363 in Sylhet. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 18% less in Sylhet. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Sylhet?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sylhet, where all-in costs run around $363, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Sylhet it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Sylhet more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sylhet – 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 Sylhet. 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