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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,951 in Barbados versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,145 in Barbados versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,338 in Barbados versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Barbados is roughly 52% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barbados is 46% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.29 BBD 40.58

$11.94 MX$208

69.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 BBD 224

$42.75 MX$744

162.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 BBD 20.83

$10.59 MX$184

-1.61%

Cappuccino

$4.51 BBD 9.02

$3.62 MX$63.0

24.59%

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

$2.04 BBD 4.08

$1.47 MX$25.54

38.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BBD 2.85

$0.94 MX$16.41

51.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 BBD 6.15

$3.09 MX$53.8

-0.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 BBD 7.89

$4.46 MX$77.6

-11.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.66 BBD 7.32

$1.43 MX$24.80

155.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 BBD 5.34

$1.88 MX$32.79

42.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 BBD 9.15

$1.63 MX$28.34

180.98%

Eggs

$6.08 BBD 12.17

$2.64 MX$45.99

130.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 BBD 13.69

$8.21 MX$143

-16.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 BBD 26.17

$8.29 MX$144

57.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.32 BBD 20.64

$11.10 MX$193

-7.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.74 BBD 9.48

$2.65 MX$46.14

78.87%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 BBD 6.08

$1.50 MX$26.11

102.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.42 BBD 10.85

$1.99 MX$34.59

172.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.36 BBD 10.72

$2.08 MX$36.13

157.69%

Potato (1kg)

$5.46 BBD 10.93

$1.79 MX$31.11

205.03%

Onion (1kg)

$4.87 BBD 9.74

$2.18 MX$37.87

123.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 BBD 5.72

$1.08 MX$18.73

164.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 BBD 6.13

$1.04 MX$18.04

194.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.43 BBD 14.87

$3.97 MX$69.1

87.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.05 BBD 32.10

$10.20 MX$178

57.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 BBD 3.46

$1.73 MX$30.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 BBD 5.68

$2.50 MX$43.46

13.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 BBD 3.47

$0.52 MX$9.02

234.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.37 BBD 12.74

$3.14 MX$54.7

102.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.35 BBD 6.71

$2.40 MX$41.80

39.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.18 BBD 44.37

$3.09 MX$53.7

617.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 BBD 4.04

$1.27 MX$22.16

59.06%

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

$50.5K BBD 101.0K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

63.55%

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

$39.3K BBD 78.5K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

68.41%

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

$195 BBD 390

$82.0 MX$1,427

137.51%

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

$48.60 BBD 97.2

$22.45 MX$391

116.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.7 BBD 171

$29.66 MX$516

188.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 BBD 145

$51.9 MX$903

39.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 BBD 20.11

$4.97 MX$86.5

102.21%

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

$264 BBD 529

$198 MX$3,442

33.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 BBD 110

$36.34 MX$632

51.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.75 BBD 57.5

$40.05 MX$697

-28.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 BBD 174

$79.9 MX$1,390

8.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.0 BBD 112

$88.9 MX$1,547

-36.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 BBD 1,308

$963 MX$16.8K

-32.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 BBD 1,322

$465 MX$8,086

42.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 BBD 4,216

$1,596 MX$27.8K

32.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 BBD 2,790

$1,209 MX$21.0K

15.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,051 BBD 2,101

$720 MX$12.5K

45.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.4

11.42

-35.20%

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

Last update for Barbados: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $654 in Barbados and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 46% 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: $112 in Barbados vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 vs $251 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Barbados and Playa del Carmen differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($1,951 vs $1,287 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barbados pays 46% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $654 in Barbados versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 73% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,951 per month in Barbados versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,951 in Barbados, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Barbados. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Barbados 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.