😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,864 in Bangor versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,948 in Bangor versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,033 in Bangor versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Living in Bangor is roughly 45% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Bangor is 39% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Bangor
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.42£18.07
$11.94MX$208
104.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.4£62.4
$42.75MX$744
97.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.01£7.41
$10.59MX$184
-5.48%
Cappuccino
$4.32£3.20
$3.62MX$63.0
19.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02£1.50
$1.47MX$25.54
37.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97£1.46
$0.94MX$16.41
109.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.63£4.91
$3.09MX$53.8
114.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.37£5.45
$4.46MX$77.6
65.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bangor
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.94£1.44
$1.43MX$24.80
35.66%
White Bread(500g)
$2.26£1.67
$1.88MX$32.79
20.21%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.28£1.68
$1.63MX$28.34
39.88%
Eggs
$3.81£2.82
$2.64MX$45.99
44.32%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.09£7.47
$8.21MX$143
22.90%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.85£8.03
$8.29MX$144
30.88%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.94£10.32
$11.10MX$193
25.59%
Apples(1kg)
$3.02£2.24
$2.65MX$46.14
13.96%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65£1.22
$1.50MX$26.11
10.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.94£2.17
$1.99MX$34.59
47.74%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.57£2.64
$2.08MX$36.13
71.63%
Potato(1kg)
$1.62£1.20
$1.79MX$31.11
-9.50%
Onion(1kg)
$1.53£1.13
$2.18MX$37.87
-29.82%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07£0.79
$1.08MX$18.73
-0.93%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.48£1.09
$1.04MX$18.04
42.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$19.37£14.33
$3.97MX$69.1
387.91%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.34£6.91
$10.20MX$178
-8.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79£2.07
$1.73MX$30.04
61.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08£2.28
$2.50MX$43.46
23.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Bangor
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$4.16£3.08
$0.52MX$9.02
700.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$90.2£66.8
$26.97MX$469
234.59%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.68£3.46
$3.14MX$54.7
49.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.89£1.40
$2.40MX$41.80
-21.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$23.24£17.20
$3.09MX$53.7
652.10%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.99£1.47
$1.27MX$22.16
56.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K£28.2K
$30.9KMX$537.3K
23.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.6K£30.8K
$23.3KMX$405.7K
78.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bangor
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$300£222
$82.0MX$1,427
265.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.11£17.84
$22.45MX$391
7.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.15£29.71
$29.66MX$516
35.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bangor
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.87£33.20
$51.9MX$903
-13.50%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.76£15.36
$18.67MX$325
11.19%
Cinema Ticket
$10.90£8.06
$4.97MX$86.5
119.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bangor
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,610£1,191
$198MX$3,442
713.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$18.1K£13.4K
$5,273MX$91.7K
242.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bangor
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$82.6£61.1
$36.34MX$632
127.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.29£32.03
$40.05MX$697
8.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$105£77.8
$79.9MX$1,390
31.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123£91.0
$88.9MX$1,547
38.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bangor
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$601£444
$963MX$16.8K
-37.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$502£372
$465MX$8,086
8.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,280£947
$1,596MX$27.8K
-19.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,107£819
$1,209MX$21.0K
-8.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,942MX$68.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,448MX$112.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bangor
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,441£1,806
$720MX$12.5K
238.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.5
11.42
-51.84%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Bangor: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $601 in Bangor and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Bangor pays 239% 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: $84.0 in Bangor vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $251 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Bangor vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Bangor?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Bangor or Playa del Carmen?
Bangor pays 239% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Bangor and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $601 in Bangor versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Bangor or Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $84.0 in Bangor. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Bangor vs Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $1,864 per month in Bangor versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Bangor or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,864 in Bangor, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Bangor. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Bangor or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bangor, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Bangor or Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Bangor 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Bangor. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.