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: $1,898 in Barbados versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,102 in Barbados versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,306 in Barbados versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Barbados is roughly 51% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barbados is 43% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.10 BBD 40.20

$11.72 MX$204

71.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 BBD 223

$41.89 MX$731

166.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 BBD 20.41

$10.51 MX$183

-2.95%

Cappuccino

$4.35 BBD 8.69

$3.59 MX$62.5

21.17%

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

$2.05 BBD 4.11

$1.51 MX$26.31

35.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 BBD 2.97

$0.92 MX$15.96

61.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 BBD 5.89

$2.96 MX$51.6

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 BBD 7.90

$4.41 MX$76.9

-10.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.54 BBD 7.08

$1.40 MX$24.35

152.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 BBD 5.18

$1.88 MX$32.87

37.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.63 BBD 9.26

$1.56 MX$27.19

196.79%

Eggs

$5.82 BBD 11.65

$2.61 MX$45.50

122.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.56 BBD 13.11

$8.32 MX$145

-21.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 BBD 26.57

$8.35 MX$146

59.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.42 BBD 20.85

$10.86 MX$189

-4.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 BBD 9.21

$2.71 MX$47.31

70.11%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 BBD 6.11

$1.51 MX$26.25

101.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 BBD 10.50

$1.87 MX$32.67

180.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 BBD 10.80

$2.19 MX$38.19

146.58%

Potato (1kg)

$5.64 BBD 11.28

$1.86 MX$32.40

203.23%

Onion (1kg)

$4.88 BBD 9.77

$2.23 MX$38.90

118.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 BBD 5.68

$1.07 MX$18.63

165.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 BBD 6.03

$1.09 MX$18.94

177.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 BBD 14.83

$4.19 MX$73.0

76.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.18 BBD 32.37

$10.43 MX$182

55.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 BBD 3.39

$1.66 MX$28.91

1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BBD 5.76

$2.61 MX$45.56

10.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 BBD 3.56

$0.54 MX$9.45

229.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 BBD 12.80

$3.08 MX$53.7

107.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 BBD 6.66

$2.40 MX$41.94

38.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.24 BBD 44.48

$3.13 MX$54.5

610.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 BBD 4.00

$1.31 MX$22.87

52.67%

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

$49.0K BBD 98.1K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

64.50%

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

$40.1K BBD 80.1K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

71.76%

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

$192 BBD 384

$81.3 MX$1,418

136.41%

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

$48.96 BBD 97.9

$22.56 MX$393

117.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.8 BBD 176

$30.05 MX$524

192.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 BBD 147

$52.9 MX$923

39.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$10.16 BBD 20.32

$4.92 MX$85.8

106.50%

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

$263 BBD 526

$201 MX$3,502

31.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 BBD 110

$35.92 MX$627

53.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.15 BBD 56.3

$40.13 MX$700

-29.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 BBD 173

$79.7 MX$1,390

8.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 BBD 110

$86.5 MX$1,508

-36.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 BBD 1,314

$978 MX$17.1K

-32.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 BBD 1,319

$470 MX$8,206

40.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 BBD 4,217

$1,651 MX$28.8K

27.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 BBD 2,818

$1,203 MX$21.0K

17.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,341 BBD 2,683

$677 MX$11.8K

98.23%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Barbados and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 98% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $431 vs $252 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 51% in total monthly costs ($1,898 vs $1,260 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 98% 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: $657 in Barbados versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,898 per month in Barbados versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,898 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 51% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.