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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $304 in Varanasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $512 in Varanasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $720 in Varanasi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 323% more than Varanasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Varanasi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Varanasi 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.28 ₹216

423.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$8.82 ₹837

384.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.58 ₹340

195.81%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.55 ₹148

133.55%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.33 ₹31.34

345.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.11 ₹10.58

754.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.72 ₹163

79.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.27 ₹216

96.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.64 ₹60.6

123.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.37 ₹34.68

408.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.53 ₹50.3

207.55%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$0.95 ₹89.9

177.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$3.61 ₹343

127.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.57 ₹244

222.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.50 ₹143

76.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.66 ₹62.2

127.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.87 ₹82.3

128.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.38 ₹36.12

447.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.27 ₹25.61

562.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.27 ₹25.73

707.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.35 ₹33.19

208.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.31 ₹29.54

235.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.92 ₹277

35.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$5.66 ₹537

80.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.72 ₹163

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.62 ₹249

-4.58%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.67 ₹443

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.56 ₹53.6

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$10.57 ₹1,004

155.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.20 ₹18.97

1470.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.12 ₹11.05

1900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$1.19 ₹113

159.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.16 ₹110

9.48%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$14.0K ₹1.3M

120.45%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.6K ₹2.0M

13.45%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$82.0 MX$1,435

$13.87 ₹1,317

491.28%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.45 MX$393

$3.71 ₹352

505.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$5.50 ₹523

439.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$12.43 ₹1,180

317.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$5.83 ₹554

220.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.00 ₹285

65.67%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$198 MX$3,462

$56.8 ₹5,392

248.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$933 ₹88.6K

465.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$22.89 ₹2,174

58.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$24.11 ₹2,289

66.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$40.07 ₹3,804

99.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$24.97 ₹2,371

255.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$130 ₹12.3K

640.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$53.0 ₹5,033

776.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$244 ₹23.2K

553.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$154 ₹14.6K

685.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$576 ₹54.7K

584.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$337 ₹31.9K

1816.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$589 ₹56.0K

22.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.72

30.96%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $130 in Varanasi. 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 22% 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 $9.00 in Varanasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $88.0 – making Varanasi 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 Varanasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 323%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $456 in Varanasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Varanasi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $304 in Varanasi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 155% less in Varanasi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Varanasi, where all-in costs run around $304, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Varanasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Varanasi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Varanasi. 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.