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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $971 per month in Bakaly vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,480 per month in Bakaly vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,990 per month in Bakaly vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Bakaly is about 24% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bakaly and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Bakaly 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.75 ₽634

$11.87 MX$204

-26.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.48 ₽2,788

$42.90 MX$736

-10.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.32 ₽313

$10.65 MX$183

-59.44%

Cappuccino

$2.27 ₽164

$3.45 MX$59.2

-34.20%

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

$1.29 ₽93.3

$1.50 MX$25.81

-14.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₽28.48

$0.95 MX$16.28

-58.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 ₽210

$3.03 MX$51.9

-4.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₽181

$4.61 MX$79.1

-45.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 ₽72.8

$1.38 MX$23.61

-27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 ₽47.56

$1.85 MX$31.70

-64.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₽118

$1.61 MX$27.65

0.62%

Eggs

$1.81 ₽131

$2.59 MX$44.51

-30.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.39 ₽1,042

$8.26 MX$142

74.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ₽278

$8.37 MX$144

-54.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.72 ₽632

$10.66 MX$183

-18.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ₽128

$2.63 MX$45.12

-32.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₽144

$1.49 MX$25.53

32.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 ₽101

$1.92 MX$32.94

-27.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 ₽217

$2.09 MX$35.81

43.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 ₽77.5

$1.86 MX$31.88

-42.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ₽71.5

$2.26 MX$38.81

-56.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ₽109

$1.06 MX$18.23

41.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₽46.66

$1.09 MX$18.67

-41.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 ₽224

$4.15 MX$71.2

-25.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 ₽580

$10.39 MX$178

-23.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₽58.9

$1.72 MX$29.59

-52.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₽142

$2.61 MX$44.85

-25.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ₽35.55

$0.54 MX$9.30

-9.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 ₽235

$3.13 MX$53.7

3.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₽23.56

$2.51 MX$43.09

-86.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 ₽567

$3.15 MX$54.1

148.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 ₽57.7

$1.27 MX$21.88

-37.01%

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

$32.2K ₽2.3M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

5.98%

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

$31.2K ₽2.3M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

32.21%

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

$98.8 ₽7,156

$83.0 MX$1,425

18.98%

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

$4.74 ₽343

$22.71 MX$390

-79.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.18 ₽520

$29.46 MX$506

-75.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.22 ₽2,625

$51.0 MX$875

-28.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 ₽372

$4.93 MX$84.5

4.26%

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

$328 ₽23.7K

$197 MX$3,386

66.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,947 ₽503.4K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

31.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.1 ₽5,006

$36.90 MX$633

87.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.51 ₽3,225

$39.89 MX$685

11.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ₽8,159

$80.0 MX$1,373

40.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₽7,815

$89.5 MX$1,536

20.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 ₽32.8K

$956 MX$16.4K

-52.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₽22.3K

$477 MX$8,189

-35.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₽56.2K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-52.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$514 ₽37.3K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-58.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,694 ₽195.2K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-31.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,733 ₽125.5K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-73.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.33

11.42

42.99%

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

Last update for Bakaly: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $453 in Bakaly versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Bakaly versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $250 – making Bakaly the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 31% more than Bakaly, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,457 per month in Bakaly and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bakaly, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Bakaly and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bakaly, where all-in costs run around $971, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Bakaly it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bakaly costs $971 versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Bakaly. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.