😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,716 in Badia Tedalda versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,645 in Badia Tedalda versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,574 in Badia Tedalda versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.
🌍Living in Badia Tedalda is roughly 36% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Badia Tedalda is 29% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Badia Tedalda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.55€15.19
$11.72MX$203
49.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.9€64.0
$41.89MX$725
76.51%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.74€10.17
$10.51MX$182
11.70%
Cappuccino
$1.95€1.69
$3.59MX$62.0
-45.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96€2.57
$1.51MX$26.10
96.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35€1.17
$0.92MX$15.83
46.74%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.92€5.12
$2.96MX$51.2
100.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.32€4.61
$4.41MX$76.3
20.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Badia Tedalda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.56€1.35
$1.40MX$24.16
11.43%
White Bread(500g)
$2.21€1.91
$1.88MX$32.60
17.55%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.73€2.36
$1.56MX$26.97
75.00%
Eggs
$4.07€3.52
$2.61MX$45.14
55.94%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.93€13.80
$8.32MX$144
91.47%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.53€10.85
$8.35MX$145
50.06%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.14€16.58
$10.86MX$188
76.24%
Apples(1kg)
$2.36€2.04
$2.71MX$46.93
-12.92%
Banana(1kg)
$2.08€1.80
$1.51MX$26.04
37.75%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.67€2.31
$1.87MX$32.41
42.78%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.15€2.73
$2.19MX$37.89
43.84%
Potato(1kg)
$1.84€1.60
$1.86MX$32.14
-1.08%
Onion(1kg)
$1.76€1.53
$2.23MX$38.59
-21.08%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.46€1.26
$1.07MX$18.48
36.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50€0.43
$1.09MX$18.79
-54.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.09€6.14
$4.19MX$72.4
69.21%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.90€5.11
$10.43MX$180
-43.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67€1.44
$1.66MX$28.68
0.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.45€2.12
$2.61MX$45.19
-6.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Badia Tedalda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.76€1.53
$0.54MX$9.37
225.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$42.81€37.08
$26.16MX$453
63.65%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.74€4.97
$3.08MX$53.3
86.36%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.58€1.37
$2.40MX$41.61
-34.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.31€29.71
$3.13MX$54.1
996.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.08€1.80
$1.31MX$22.69
58.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.2K€27.8K
$29.8KMX$515.7K
7.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K€28.9K
$23.3KMX$403.5K
43.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Badia Tedalda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$218€189
$81.3MX$1,406
168.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.40€11.60
$22.56MX$390
-40.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.13€26.96
$30.05MX$520
3.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Badia Tedalda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.7€47.41
$52.9MX$915
3.46%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.39€20.26
$18.39MX$318
27.19%
Cinema Ticket
$10.61€9.19
$4.92MX$85.1
115.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Badia Tedalda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$559€484
$201MX$3,474
178.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,891€6,834
$5,175MX$89.5K
52.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Badia Tedalda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.7€75.1
$35.92MX$622
141.40%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.35€32.34
$40.13MX$694
-6.93%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$90.9€78.7
$79.7MX$1,379
14.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131€113
$86.5MX$1,496
50.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Badia Tedalda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$752€651
$978MX$16.9K
-23.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$588€509
$470MX$8,140
24.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,237€1,071
$1,651MX$28.6K
-25.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$938€812
$1,203MX$20.8K
-22.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,832€2,453
$3,953MX$68.4K
-28.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,852€1,604
$6,607MX$114.3K
-71.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Badia Tedalda
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$677MX$11.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.45
11.42
-61.03%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Badia Tedalda: July 27, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Badia Tedalda and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $74.0 in Badia Tedalda vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $329 vs $252 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.
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
Badia Tedalda vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Badia Tedalda?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,575 in Badia Tedalda and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Badia Tedalda and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $752 in Badia Tedalda versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 64% less than in Badia Tedalda. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $559 in Badia Tedalda versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Badia Tedalda or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,716 in Badia Tedalda, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Badia Tedalda. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Badia Tedalda or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Badia Tedalda, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Badia Tedalda or Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Badia Tedalda and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Badia Tedalda. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Badia Tedalda vs other spots: cost of living compared