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: $1,002 in Baie du Tombeau versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,658 in Baie du Tombeau versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,314 in Baie du Tombeau versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Baie du Tombeau costs roughly 23% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baie du Tombeau 25% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 MUR 316

$11.73 MX$203

-42.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.28 MUR 2,045

$41.62 MX$720

3.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 MUR 305

$10.64 MX$184

-39.29%

Cappuccino

$2.68 MUR 127

$3.52 MX$60.9

-23.86%

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

$0.98 MUR 46.27

$1.51 MX$26.12

-35.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 MUR 26.66

$0.97 MX$16.84

-42.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 MUR 97.9

$2.95 MX$51.0

-29.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 MUR 131

$4.45 MX$77.0

-37.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MUR 71.0

$1.38 MX$23.93

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MUR 32.84

$1.89 MX$32.72

-63.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MUR 62.6

$1.64 MX$28.32

-19.51%

Eggs

$2.24 MUR 106

$2.51 MX$43.34

-10.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MUR 463

$8.34 MX$144

17.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 MUR 284

$8.34 MX$144

-27.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 MUR 493

$10.73 MX$186

-2.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 MUR 97.6

$2.60 MX$45.04

-20.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 MUR 94.2

$1.46 MX$25.20

36.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 MUR 67.6

$1.90 MX$32.87

-24.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 MUR 125

$2.08 MX$35.91

26.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 MUR 48.53

$1.78 MX$30.71

-42.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 MUR 44.53

$2.19 MX$37.80

-57.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 MUR 40.10

$1.04 MX$17.99

-18.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MUR 27.20

$1.08 MX$18.62

-46.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.10 MUR 288

$4.08 MX$70.6

49.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 MUR 390

$10.32 MX$178

-20.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 MUR 84.7

$1.71 MX$29.61

4.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 MUR 102

$2.58 MX$44.54

-16.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 MUR 49.51

$0.51 MX$8.81

105.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.22 MUR 1,381

$26.46 MX$458

10.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 MUR 207

$3.26 MX$56.4

34.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 MUR 128

$2.49 MX$43.09

8.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.60 MUR 737

$3.25 MX$56.2

380.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MUR 66.6

$1.31 MX$22.61

7.63%

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

$35.8K MUR 1.7M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

18.24%

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

$29.1K MUR 1.4M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

24.11%

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

$48.83 MUR 2,307

$82.9 MX$1,433

-41.08%

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

$18.71 MUR 884

$22.22 MX$384

-15.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.89 MUR 1,554

$29.34 MX$507

12.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.41 MUR 1,815

$51.6 MX$893

-25.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.68 MUR 316

$18.32 MX$317

-63.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 MUR 293

$5.07 MX$87.6

22.29%

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

$154 MUR 7,256

$201 MX$3,473

-23.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,987 MUR 188.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-23.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 MUR 2,417

$36.92 MX$639

38.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 MUR 2,038

$39.79 MX$688

8.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 MUR 3,884

$78.5 MX$1,357

4.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 MUR 3,689

$87.1 MX$1,506

-10.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 MUR 24.6K

$973 MX$16.8K

-46.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 MUR 16.5K

$468 MX$8,090

-25.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 MUR 45.7K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-41.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 MUR 34.5K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-40.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,310 MUR 250.9K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

34.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,255 MUR 201.1K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-34.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 MUR 30.5K

$664 MX$11.5K

-2.80%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $520 in Baie du Tombeau and $973 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: $43.00 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 3% less. 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: $520 in Baie du Tombeau versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,002 per month in Baie du Tombeau versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 29% 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 10% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,002 in Baie du Tombeau versus $1,297 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 29% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.