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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $314 in Varanasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $517 in Varanasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $720 in Varanasi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 302% 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 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.31 ₹220

407.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$8.96 ₹855

367.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.51 ₹335

199.43%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.50 ₹143

139.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.31 ₹29.43

387.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.13 ₹12.42

607.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.79 ₹171

65.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.32 ₹221

90.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.65 ₹61.7

115.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.37 ₹35.28

408.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.52 ₹50.1

200.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$0.95 ₹90.4

174.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$3.60 ₹343

131.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.54 ₹242

228.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.52 ₹145

78.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.66 ₹63.0

128.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.88 ₹83.5

112.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.39 ₹36.74

461.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.29 ₹27.87

541.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.27 ₹25.84

725.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.35 ₹33.16

205.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.29 ₹27.40

275.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.90 ₹277

44.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$5.84 ₹557

78.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.64 ₹157

1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.62 ₹250

-0.38%

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

$4.67 ₹445

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.59 ₹56.5

-8.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$10.66 ₹1,016

145.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.20 ₹19.05

1440.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.11 ₹10.67

2081.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$1.17 ₹112

167.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.16 ₹110

12.93%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$14.1K ₹1.3M

111.05%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$21.3K ₹2.0M

9.71%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$13.81 ₹1,317

488.56%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$3.54 ₹338

537.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$5.59 ₹533

437.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$12.28 ₹1,171

330.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$5.85 ₹558

214.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$2.97 ₹283

65.66%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$57.5 ₹5,484

249.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$926 ₹88.3K

458.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$22.97 ₹2,191

56.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$24.51 ₹2,338

63.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$41.19 ₹3,928

93.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$24.96 ₹2,380

246.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$127 ₹12.1K

668.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$52.5 ₹5,007

796.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$252 ₹24.0K

555.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$158 ₹15.0K

663.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$558 ₹53.3K

607.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$331 ₹31.6K

1894.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$572 ₹54.6K

18.27%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $127 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 18% 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 $9.00 in Varanasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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 302%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $470 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $314 in Varanasi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 145% 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 $314, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.