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: $1,961 in Barbados versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,190 in Barbados versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,418 in Barbados versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Barbados is roughly 54% 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 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.86 BBD 39.72

$11.87 MX$204

67.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 BBD 223

$42.90 MX$736

159.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.33 BBD 20.65

$10.65 MX$183

-3.00%

Cappuccino

$4.47 BBD 8.93

$3.45 MX$59.2

29.57%

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

$2.06 BBD 4.11

$1.50 MX$25.81

37.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 BBD 2.97

$0.95 MX$16.28

55.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 BBD 5.90

$3.03 MX$51.9

-2.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 BBD 8.13

$4.61 MX$79.1

-11.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.49 BBD 6.97

$1.38 MX$23.61

152.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 BBD 5.22

$1.85 MX$31.70

41.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 BBD 9.18

$1.61 MX$27.65

185.09%

Eggs

$5.85 BBD 11.71

$2.59 MX$44.51

125.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 BBD 13.69

$8.26 MX$142

-17.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.03 BBD 26.07

$8.37 MX$144

55.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 BBD 20.65

$10.66 MX$183

-3.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 BBD 9.45

$2.63 MX$45.12

79.47%

Banana (1kg)

$3.18 BBD 6.36

$1.49 MX$25.53

113.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.44 BBD 10.87

$1.92 MX$32.94

183.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.25 BBD 10.49

$2.09 MX$35.81

151.20%

Potato (1kg)

$5.51 BBD 11.02

$1.86 MX$31.88

196.24%

Onion (1kg)

$4.90 BBD 9.81

$2.26 MX$38.81

116.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 BBD 5.64

$1.06 MX$18.23

166.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 BBD 6.13

$1.09 MX$18.67

180.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.32 BBD 14.63

$4.15 MX$71.2

76.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.84 BBD 31.68

$10.39 MX$178

52.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 BBD 3.51

$1.72 MX$29.59

1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 BBD 5.52

$2.61 MX$44.85

5.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 BBD 3.46

$0.54 MX$9.30

220.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 BBD 12.45

$3.13 MX$53.7

98.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.49 BBD 6.97

$2.51 MX$43.09

39.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.11 BBD 44.21

$3.15 MX$54.1

601.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 BBD 3.98

$1.27 MX$21.88

56.69%

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

$50.6K BBD 101.2K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

66.61%

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

$39.9K BBD 79.8K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

69.32%

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

$194 BBD 388

$83.0 MX$1,425

133.96%

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

$49.35 BBD 98.7

$22.71 MX$390

117.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.9 BBD 176

$29.46 MX$506

198.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.3 BBD 145

$51.0 MX$875

41.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 BBD 20.10

$4.93 MX$84.5

103.85%

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

$265 BBD 529

$197 MX$3,386

34.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 BBD 111

$36.90 MX$633

50.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.59 BBD 57.2

$39.89 MX$685

-28.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 BBD 178

$80.0 MX$1,373

11.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 BBD 112

$89.5 MX$1,536

-37.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 BBD 1,346

$956 MX$16.4K

-29.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$679 BBD 1,359

$477 MX$8,189

42.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,140 BBD 4,280

$1,646 MX$28.3K

30.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,403 BBD 2,806

$1,225 MX$21.0K

14.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,315 BBD 2,630

$667 MX$11.4K

97.14%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $673 in Barbados and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 97% 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: $111 in Barbados vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $430 vs $250 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 54% in total monthly costs ($1,961 vs $1,271 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barbados pays 97% 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: $673 in Barbados versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,961 per month in Barbados versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,961 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 54% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.