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: $1,811 in Barbados versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,098 in Barbados versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,386 in Barbados versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Barbados is roughly 39% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barbados is 31% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.44 BBD 50.9

$11.96 MX$203

112.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 BBD 226

$47.38 MX$805

138.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 BBD 25.17

$11.75 MX$200

7.15%

Cappuccino

$4.66 BBD 9.32

$4.12 MX$70.1

13.11%

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

$2.17 BBD 4.34

$1.40 MX$23.78

55.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 BBD 3.53

$0.91 MX$15.50

94.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 BBD 6.08

$3.21 MX$54.5

-5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 BBD 8.23

$7.07 MX$120

-41.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.60 BBD 7.19

$1.68 MX$28.49

114.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 BBD 5.38

$2.15 MX$36.53

25.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.03 BBD 8.07

$1.77 MX$30.14

127.68%

Eggs

$5.88 BBD 11.75

$2.82 MX$47.83

108.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.50 BBD 13.01

$9.20 MX$156

-29.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.14 BBD 20.27

$9.23 MX$157

9.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.28 BBD 22.56

$12.64 MX$215

-10.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.97 BBD 9.94

$2.95 MX$50.1

68.47%

Banana (1kg)

$4.29 BBD 8.58

$1.58 MX$26.83

171.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.52 BBD 11.03

$2.22 MX$37.76

148.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.69 BBD 11.38

$2.36 MX$40.15

141.10%

Potato (1kg)

$6.93 BBD 13.86

$1.99 MX$33.86

248.24%

Onion (1kg)

$4.81 BBD 9.61

$1.98 MX$33.63

142.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 BBD 5.35

$1.24 MX$21.07

115.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 BBD 5.37

$1.21 MX$20.58

121.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 BBD 13.64

$4.60 MX$78.2

48.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.93 BBD 31.85

$10.52 MX$179

51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 BBD 3.44

$1.69 MX$28.74

1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 BBD 5.87

$2.77 MX$47.13

6.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 BBD 3.46

$0.60 MX$10.24

188.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 BBD 9.97

$5.24 MX$89.0

-4.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.38 BBD 6.76

$3.65 MX$62.0

-7.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 BBD 3.95

$1.54 MX$26.13

27.92%

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

$49.8K BBD 99.5K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

118.29%

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

$40.7K BBD 81.4K

$25.8K MX$438.5K

57.59%

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

$98.7 BBD 197

$90.7 MX$1,540

8.82%

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

$49.27 BBD 98.5

$25.19 MX$428

95.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.3 BBD 175

$31.75 MX$539

175.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.9 BBD 150

$68.8 MX$1,169

8.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 BBD 17.38

$4.86 MX$82.6

78.81%

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

$226 MX$3,834

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.44 BBD 92.9

$47.38 MX$805

-1.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.61 BBD 39.23

$43.45 MX$738

-54.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.4 BBD 123

$80.2 MX$1,363

-23.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 BBD 1,347

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-37.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 BBD 1,308

$409 MX$6,943

60.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,861 BBD 3,723

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-5.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,465 BBD 6,929

$1,281 MX$21.8K

170.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,326 BBD 2,652

$773 MX$13.1K

71.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-3.93%

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

Last update for Barbados: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $674 in Barbados and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 71% 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: $113 in Barbados vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $427 vs $278 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 39% in total monthly costs ($1,811 vs $1,305 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 71% higher in Barbados, 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: $674 in Barbados versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $113 in Barbados. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,811 per month in Barbados versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,811 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 39% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.