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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $733 in Baiquan versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,170 in Baiquan versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,606 in Baiquan versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Baiquan costs roughly 43% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baiquan 47% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 ¥19.75

$11.71 MX$198

-74.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.26 ¥163

$46.59 MX$788

-47.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 ¥36.00

$11.65 MX$197

-53.99%

Cappuccino

$2.56 ¥17.21

$4.09 MX$69.2

-37.41%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$1.37 MX$23.23

-67.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥1.98

$0.83 MX$14.09

-63.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ¥6.77

$3.35 MX$56.7

-69.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.56

$6.91 MX$117

-72.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ¥11.07

$1.73 MX$29.20

-4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 ¥11.04

$2.26 MX$38.21

-26.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.21

$1.77 MX$29.91

-39.55%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥12.16

$2.73 MX$46.19

-33.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.09 ¥87.8

$9.18 MX$155

42.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ¥22.50

$8.92 MX$151

-62.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 ¥71.7

$12.60 MX$213

-15.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.50

$3.02 MX$51.1

-38.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.67

$1.57 MX$26.55

-17.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 ¥9.26

$2.13 MX$35.93

-35.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 ¥8.56

$2.26 MX$38.28

-43.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.17

$2.00 MX$33.88

-61.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.38

$2.06 MX$34.90

-53.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.15

$1.18 MX$19.94

-47.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ¥3.42

$1.20 MX$20.35

-57.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ¥21.68

$4.63 MX$78.4

-30.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.61 ¥71.2

$10.69 MX$181

-0.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.77

$1.62 MX$27.38

-46.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥11.90

$2.88 MX$48.70

-38.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ¥1.75

$0.57 MX$9.69

-54.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.51 ¥104

$29.83 MX$504

-48.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 ¥11.47

$5.45 MX$92.1

-68.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.16

$3.70 MX$62.6

-91.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 ¥54.2

$5.98 MX$101

34.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ¥9.30

$1.55 MX$26.26

-10.32%

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

$22.1K ¥148.4K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

-0.92%

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

$19.2K ¥128.8K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-26.01%

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

$60.2 ¥404

$89.1 MX$1,507

-32.42%

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

$9.44 ¥63.3

$25.04 MX$423

-62.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.37 ¥83.0

$31.50 MX$532

-60.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.09 ¥269

$67.8 MX$1,146

-40.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.51 ¥111

$28.92 MX$489

-42.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ¥45.52

$5.05 MX$85.4

34.26%

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

$406 ¥2,727

$225 MX$3,803

80.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K ¥101.7K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

259.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.74 ¥267

$47.44 MX$802

-16.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.57 ¥198

$44.98 MX$760

-34.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 ¥507

$82.0 MX$1,386

-7.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 ¥471

$92.1 MX$1,557

-23.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ¥2,053

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-71.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 ¥1,349

$405 MX$6,852

-50.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 ¥4,491

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-65.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ¥2,174

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-75.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,379 ¥22.7K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-15.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,106 ¥14.1K

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-68.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

11.45

-70.48%

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

Last update for Baiquan: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in Baiquan and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Baiquan vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $277 per month, with Baiquan 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

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

Baiquan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,100 in Baiquan and $1,940 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $306 in Baiquan versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $406 in Baiquan versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $733 in Baiquan versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Baiquan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Baiquan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Baiquan 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, Baiquan 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 Baiquan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.