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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,025 per month in Barlad vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,587 per month in Barlad vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,150 per month in Barlad vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Barlad is about 21% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barlad and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Barlad 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.37 RON 42.67

$11.73 MX$205

-20.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.93 RON 214

$41.62 MX$727

12.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 RON 35.66

$10.64 MX$186

-26.41%

Cappuccino

$2.70 RON 12.30

$3.52 MX$61.5

-23.30%

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

$1.99 RON 9.04

$1.51 MX$26.37

31.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.94

$0.97 MX$17.00

79.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 RON 10.72

$2.95 MX$51.5

-20.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 RON 12.32

$4.45 MX$77.8

-39.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 RON 6.74

$1.38 MX$24.16

7.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 RON 5.41

$1.89 MX$33.04

-37.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.89

$1.64 MX$28.59

5.49%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.26

$2.51 MX$43.76

33.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.39 RON 38.19

$8.34 MX$146

0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 RON 31.27

$8.34 MX$146

-17.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.50 RON 47.82

$10.73 MX$187

-2.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.15

$2.60 MX$45.48

-56.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.27

$1.46 MX$25.45

9.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.32

$1.90 MX$33.19

-15.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.77

$2.08 MX$36.26

-7.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.84

$1.78 MX$31.01

-52.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.19

$2.19 MX$38.16

-57.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 RON 4.08

$1.04 MX$18.16

-13.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 RON 3.72

$1.08 MX$18.80

-24.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 RON 26.60

$4.08 MX$71.3

43.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 RON 26.89

$10.32 MX$180

-42.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.69

$1.71 MX$29.90

-39.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 RON 7.70

$2.58 MX$44.98

-34.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$0.51 MX$8.90

39.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 RON 89.8

$26.46 MX$462

-25.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 RON 3.48

$3.26 MX$57.0

-76.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.35

$2.49 MX$43.51

-70.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.09 RON 32.26

$3.25 MX$56.7

118.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.00

$1.31 MX$22.83

17.56%

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

$28.3K RON 128.8K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

-6.54%

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

$26.9K RON 122.5K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

14.87%

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

$147 RON 668

$82.9 MX$1,447

77.08%

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

$7.88 RON 35.86

$22.22 MX$388

-64.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.12 RON 41.52

$29.34 MX$512

-68.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.89 RON 191

$51.6 MX$902

-18.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.99 RON 86.5

$18.32 MX$320

3.66%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 RON 32.20

$5.07 MX$88.5

39.45%

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

$433 RON 1,971

$201 MX$3,507

115.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,944 RON 31.6K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

33.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 RON 309

$36.92 MX$645

84.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.52 RON 175

$39.79 MX$695

-3.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 RON 343

$78.5 MX$1,370

-3.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 RON 415

$87.1 MX$1,521

4.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 RON 1,802

$973 MX$17.0K

-59.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 RON 1,327

$468 MX$8,169

-37.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 RON 2,665

$1,641 MX$28.7K

-64.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 2,018

$1,221 MX$21.3K

-63.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,967 RON 8,954

$3,946 MX$68.9K

-50.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 RON 5,566

$6,498 MX$113.5K

-81.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

11.42

-42.56%

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

Last update for Barlad: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $396 in Barlad versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Barlad versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $207 in Barlad vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Barlad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,025 in Barlad, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 27% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,537 per month in Barlad and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barlad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $433 per month in Barlad and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barlad, where all-in costs run around $1,025, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Barlad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,025 in Barlad to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Barlad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.