Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ba and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Ba: $93.6 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

🇫🇯 Fiji

$93.6

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ba and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ba and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $94 in Ba versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

Ba $94
Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $209 in Ba versus $2,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Ba $209
Playa del Carmen $2,082

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $325 in Ba versus $2,959 in Playa del Carmen.

Ba $325
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Living in Ba costs roughly 92% less than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ba 93% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 FJD 4.56

$10.92 MX$205

-81.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.40 FJD 67.9

$43.37 MX$814

-29.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.01 FJD 13.42

$11.78 MX$221

-48.98%

Cappuccino

$1.99 FJD 4.43

$3.81 MX$71.5

-47.77%

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

$0.98 FJD 2.18

$1.28 MX$24.07

-23.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 FJD 2.20

$0.78 MX$14.70

26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.12 FJD 9.19

$3.17 MX$59.5

29.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 FJD 7.74

$4.93 MX$92.7

-29.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.40

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.62

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.61

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.36

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$136

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$238

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$52.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.68

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.89

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.86

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.39

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.41

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.53

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$22.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.6

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$187

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.73

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$50.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.39

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$500

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$93.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.5

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$27.11

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

$20.7K MX$388.0K

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

$23.5K MX$440.5K

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

$84.8 MX$1,592

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

$23.41 MX$439

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$538

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,071

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$543

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$96.5

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

$207 MX$3,878

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$814

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$778

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,393

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,676

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,150

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$32.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$74.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$399 FJD 891

$735 MX$13.8K

-45.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-65.07%

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

Last update for Ba: October 24, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

–

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Groceries & Markets

–

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Eating Out

–

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

–

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Clothing & Footwear

–

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Sport & Entertainment

–

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Getting Around

–

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 84% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $30 in Ba vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for two.

Good to know

🇫🇯 Ba

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

11:31 11:31 AM

18:31 6:31 PM

17 h behind Ba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,000

149,923

💱 Currency

Fijian Dollar FJD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 FJD = 0.448 USD

1 FJD = 0.401 EUR

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to FJD – Fijian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇫🇯 Fijian Dollar ($)

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 2.23 FJD (1 FJD = 0.448 USD). 1 EUR = 2.49 FJD (1 FJD = 0.401 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to FJD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ba Playa del Carmen 11,210 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Ba
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Ba vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba wins on cost – living expenses run 92% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Ba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Ba. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba – a meal for two runs $30 versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $94 per month in Ba versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – Ba is about 92% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $94 in Ba versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, a $800 budget is realistic in Ba but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Ba wins on affordability, Playa del Carmen on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.