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: $1,077 in Baie du Tombeau versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,744 in Baie du Tombeau versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,411 in Baie du Tombeau versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Baie du Tombeau costs roughly 17% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baie du Tombeau 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.88 MUR 275

$11.96 MX$203

-50.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.83 MUR 1,770

$47.38 MX$804

-20.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 MUR 329

$11.75 MX$199

-40.26%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MUR 121

$4.12 MX$70.0

-37.38%

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

$1.15 MUR 53.8

$1.40 MX$23.74

-17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 MUR 29.33

$0.91 MX$15.48

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 MUR 121

$3.21 MX$54.4

-19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 MUR 178

$7.07 MX$120

-46.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MUR 69.1

$1.68 MX$28.44

-11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 MUR 34.60

$2.15 MX$36.48

-65.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MUR 54.2

$1.77 MX$30.10

-34.46%

Eggs

$2.39 MUR 112

$2.82 MX$47.76

-15.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.20 MUR 243

$9.20 MX$156

-43.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 MUR 289

$9.23 MX$157

-33.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.29 MUR 528

$12.64 MX$214

-10.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 MUR 97.8

$2.95 MX$50.1

-29.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 MUR 110

$1.58 MX$26.79

48.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 MUR 68.4

$2.22 MX$37.70

-34.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 MUR 138

$2.36 MX$40.09

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 MUR 46.70

$1.99 MX$33.81

-49.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 MUR 45.31

$1.98 MX$33.58

-51.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MUR 34.75

$1.24 MX$21.04

-40.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 MUR 41.27

$1.21 MX$20.55

-27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 MUR 298

$4.60 MX$78.1

38.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 MUR 390

$10.52 MX$178

-20.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 MUR 79.8

$1.69 MX$28.70

0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MUR 107

$2.77 MX$47.06

-17.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MUR 30.43

$0.60 MX$10.22

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.88 MUR 1,305

$29.70 MX$504

-6.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 MUR 197

$5.24 MX$88.8

-19.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.12 MUR 146

$3.65 MX$61.9

-14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.61 MUR 1,011

$5.78 MX$98.1

273.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MUR 64.7

$1.54 MX$26.09

-10.39%

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

$32.8K MUR 1.5M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

43.67%

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

$31.5K MUR 1.5M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

22.18%

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

$45.77 MUR 2,142

$90.7 MX$1,538

-49.52%

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

$10.52 MUR 492

$25.19 MX$427

-58.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.27 MUR 1,370

$31.75 MX$539

-7.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.57 MUR 1,665

$68.8 MX$1,167

-48.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.46 MUR 302

$29.37 MX$498

-78.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 MUR 293

$4.86 MX$82.5

28.81%

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

$125 MUR 5,850

$226 MX$3,828

-44.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,760 MUR 363.2K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

85.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 MUR 3,167

$47.38 MX$804

42.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.0 MUR 3,182

$43.45 MX$737

56.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MUR 5,392

$80.2 MX$1,361

43.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 MUR 3,683

$91.4 MX$1,550

-13.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 MUR 26.8K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-47.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 MUR 18.4K

$409 MX$6,933

-3.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,100 MUR 51.5K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-44.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$848 MUR 39.7K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-33.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,238 MUR 245.1K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

29.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,206 MUR 196.8K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-37.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 MUR 29.3K

$773 MX$13.1K

-18.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

11.45

-44.63%

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

Last update for Baie du Tombeau: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $573 in Baie du Tombeau and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 23% 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: $38.00 in Baie du Tombeau vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $278 per month, with Baie du Tombeau 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

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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 23% 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: $573 in Baie du Tombeau versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,077 per month in Baie du Tombeau versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 21% 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 7% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,077 in Baie du Tombeau versus $1,305 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 21% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.