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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,628 per month in Badalona vs $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,152 per month in Badalona vs $2,144 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,676 per month in Badalona vs $3,072 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Badalona costs about 34% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Badalona sits 22% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €15.25

$10.97 MX$197

55.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.3 €50.2

$44.85 MX$806

25.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 €9.88

$11.92 MX$214

-7.13%

Cappuccino

$2.46 €2.19

$3.80 MX$68.4

-35.26%

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

$2.69 €2.40

$1.31 MX$23.58

105.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.66

$0.86 MX$15.39

115.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 €3.08

$3.21 MX$57.7

7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 €4.11

$5.01 MX$90.1

-8.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €1.01

$1.46 MX$26.21

-21.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 €1.87

$2.33 MX$41.83

-10.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.55

$1.44 MX$25.93

20.83%

Eggs

$3.80 €3.39

$2.46 MX$44.25

54.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.75 €13.16

$7.70 MX$138

91.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 €8.00

$7.89 MX$142

13.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 €13.39

$12.80 MX$230

17.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 €2.25

$2.92 MX$52.4

-13.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 €1.75

$1.42 MX$25.56

38.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 €1.42

$2.57 MX$46.12

-38.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 €2.15

$2.14 MX$38.42

12.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.57

$1.95 MX$35.00

-9.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 €1.66

$1.94 MX$34.80

-4.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 €1.39

$1.15 MX$20.69

35.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 €0.56

$1.22 MX$21.95

-49.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.36

$4.38 MX$78.7

62.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €5.10

$9.85 MX$177

-41.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.90

$1.54 MX$27.64

-34.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 €2.18

$2.72 MX$48.81

-10.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 €1.48

$0.52 MX$9.44

219.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.92 €40.10

$27.42 MX$493

63.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 €2.70

$4.91 MX$88.3

-38.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 €1.30

$3.52 MX$63.3

-58.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.32 €12.78

$5.69 MX$102

151.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 €1.63

$1.54 MX$27.68

18.18%

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

$35.4K €31.6K

$21.2K MX$381.8K

66.85%

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

$30.6K €27.3K

$24.5K MX$440.2K

24.86%

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

$115 €102

$83.6 MX$1,503

37.05%

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

$13.75 €12.28

$24.03 MX$432

-42.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 €22.69

$29.33 MX$527

-13.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.2 €61.7

$64.9 MX$1,166

6.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.65 €13.08

$29.46 MX$530

-50.27%

Cinema Ticket

$8.59 €7.66

$5.09 MX$91.4

68.76%

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

$572 €510

$208 MX$3,733

175.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K €9,126

$4,045 MX$72.7K

152.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 €57.7

$44.55 MX$801

45.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.43 €19.13

$42.06 MX$756

-49.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €94.0

$75.5 MX$1,358

39.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €107

$91.4 MX$1,642

30.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 €1,231

$986 MX$17.7K

39.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 €614

$385 MX$6,924

78.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,370 €1,223

$1,713 MX$30.8K

-20.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,462 €2,198

$1,108 MX$19.9K

122.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,597 €3,211

$4,016 MX$72.2K

-10.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,056 €1,836

$6,247 MX$112.3K

-67.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,905 €1,700

$758 MX$13.6K

151.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.3

11.45

-71.18%

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

Last update for Badalona: October 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,379 in Badalona versus $986 in Playa del Carmen. 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 151% higher in Badalona, 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 $56.0 in Badalona versus $45.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $260 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,628 in Badalona, $1,215 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 34% apart. Badalona costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,443 per month in Badalona and $1,823 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,628 in Badalona and $1,215 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 64% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,215, than in Badalona at $1,628. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Badalona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,215 in Playa del Carmen to $1,628 in Badalona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Badalona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.