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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $310 in Varanasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $514 in Varanasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $717 in Varanasi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 309% more than Varanasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Varanasi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Varanasi 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.31 ₹220

413.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$8.68 ₹825

394.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.47 ₹330

206.92%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.55 ₹147

122.58%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.33 ₹31.70

354.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.12 ₹11.84

691.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.76 ₹168

72.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.29 ₹217

101.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.69 ₹65.8

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.39 ₹37.32

374.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.52 ₹49.63

209.62%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$0.90 ₹85.6

187.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$3.58 ₹340

130.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$2.59 ₹246

223.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.57 ₹149

67.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.66 ₹62.5

125.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.93 ₹88.4

106.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.38 ₹36.36

450.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.27 ₹25.42

588.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.25 ₹23.53

804.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.35 ₹33.01

202.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.29 ₹27.46

275.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.89 ₹275

43.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$5.66 ₹538

83.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.67 ₹159

2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.67 ₹254

-2.25%

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

$4.52 ₹430

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.55 ₹52.5

-1.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$10.59 ₹1,007

154.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.22 ₹20.93

1322.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.11 ₹10.23

2181.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$1.13 ₹107

178.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.19 ₹113

6.72%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$13.7K ₹1.3M

121.77%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.8K ₹2.0M

13.23%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$13.88 ₹1,320

497.98%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$3.65 ₹347

522.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$5.28 ₹502

457.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$12.64 ₹1,202

303.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$5.83 ₹555

214.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$2.84 ₹270

73.59%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$57.8 ₹5,493

241.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$926 ₹88.1K

470.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$23.02 ₹2,189

60.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$24.76 ₹2,355

61.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$40.46 ₹3,847

97.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$25.47 ₹2,423

251.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$125 ₹11.9K

662.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$52.7 ₹5,011

805.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$251 ₹23.8K

556.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$152 ₹14.5K

704.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$553 ₹52.6K

608.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$338 ₹32.2K

1810.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$579 ₹55.1K

15.20%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $125 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 15% 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: $250 vs $89.0 – 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 309%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $466 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $310 in Varanasi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 154% 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 $310, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.