Cost of Living Comparison Between Baie du Tombeau and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Baie du Tombeau and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $989 in Baie du Tombeau versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,635 in Baie du Tombeau versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,281 in Baie du Tombeau versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Baie du Tombeau costs roughly 21% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baie du Tombeau 26% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 MUR 302

$11.99 MX$210

-46.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.38 MUR 2,085

$41.78 MX$733

6.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.43 MUR 302

$10.75 MX$189

-40.19%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MUR 120

$3.50 MX$61.3

-27.14%

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

$0.97 MUR 45.75

$1.45 MX$25.41

-33.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 28.38

$0.88 MX$15.52

-31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 MUR 101

$2.95 MX$51.7

-26.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MUR 130

$4.51 MX$79.1

-38.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MUR 67.5

$1.43 MX$25.12

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MUR 32.50

$1.84 MX$32.23

-62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 MUR 59.7

$1.57 MX$27.51

-19.11%

Eggs

$2.34 MUR 110

$2.51 MX$44.06

-6.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.67 MUR 454

$8.28 MX$145

16.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 MUR 299

$8.43 MX$148

-24.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 MUR 481

$10.68 MX$187

-4.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 MUR 96.5

$2.61 MX$45.76

-21.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 MUR 92.2

$1.44 MX$25.22

36.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 MUR 71.0

$1.96 MX$34.41

-22.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 MUR 125

$2.09 MX$36.74

27.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 48.10

$1.85 MX$32.47

-44.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MUR 47.44

$2.17 MX$38.02

-53.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 MUR 40.05

$1.03 MX$18.09

-17.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MUR 24.81

$1.07 MX$18.84

-50.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.09 MUR 286

$4.10 MX$72.0

48.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 MUR 387

$10.17 MX$178

-19.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MUR 81.1

$1.68 MX$29.38

2.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 MUR 102

$2.53 MX$44.31

-14.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 MUR 46.74

$0.51 MX$8.93

94.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.08 MUR 1,366

$26.04 MX$457

11.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 MUR 212

$3.23 MX$56.7

39.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 MUR 125

$2.41 MX$42.19

9.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.15 MUR 712

$3.23 MX$56.6

369.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MUR 68.7

$1.32 MX$23.17

10.61%

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

$35.9K MUR 1.7M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

20.78%

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

$29.1K MUR 1.4M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

23.16%

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

$49.99 MUR 2,348

$82.0 MX$1,439

-39.04%

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

$18.55 MUR 872

$22.95 MX$403

-19.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.05 MUR 1,506

$30.11 MX$528

6.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.97 MUR 1,784

$52.0 MX$912

-26.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 MUR 313

$18.53 MX$325

-64.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 MUR 285

$4.98 MX$87.3

21.69%

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

$157 MUR 7,366

$197 MX$3,463

-20.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,019 MUR 188.8K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-24.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 MUR 2,406

$35.60 MX$624

43.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.15 MUR 2,027

$40.33 MX$707

6.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.6 MUR 3,833

$78.8 MX$1,381

3.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 MUR 3,630

$88.9 MX$1,560

-13.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 MUR 24.3K

$947 MX$16.6K

-45.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 MUR 16.4K

$474 MX$8,314

-26.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 MUR 43.8K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-43.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$711 MUR 33.4K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-41.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,335 MUR 250.6K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

31.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,169 MUR 195.9K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-35.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$634 MUR 29.8K

$654 MX$11.5K

-3.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

11.42

-45.27%

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

Last update for Baie du Tombeau: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $516 in Baie du Tombeau and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 3% 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: $44.00 in Baie du Tombeau vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 vs $249, with Baie du Tombeau cheaper for home cooking.

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

Baie du Tombeau vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baie du Tombeau is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $516 in Baie du Tombeau versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $989 per month in Baie du Tombeau versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baie du Tombeau runs roughly 12% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $989 in Baie du Tombeau versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Baie du Tombeau but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Baie du Tombeau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Baie du Tombeau is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Baie du Tombeau 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.

Expats usually find Baie du Tombeau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.