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 $1,036 per month in Barlad vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,583 per month in Barlad vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,131 per month in Barlad vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Barlad is about 18% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barlad and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Barlad 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.37 RON 42.97

$11.95 MX$208

-21.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.54 RON 209

$41.94 MX$730

8.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 RON 37.22

$10.42 MX$181

-22.17%

Cappuccino

$2.69 RON 12.34

$3.51 MX$61.2

-23.36%

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

$1.95 RON 8.94

$1.52 MX$26.39

28.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.70

$0.91 MX$15.84

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 RON 10.33

$3.04 MX$52.9

-25.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 RON 12.32

$4.37 MX$76.1

-38.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 7.10

$1.42 MX$24.73

9.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 RON 5.68

$1.83 MX$31.87

-32.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.68

$1.63 MX$28.45

2.45%

Eggs

$3.38 RON 15.52

$2.54 MX$44.20

33.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 RON 38.28

$8.57 MX$149

-2.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.72 RON 30.83

$8.49 MX$148

-20.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.44 RON 47.89

$10.80 MX$188

-3.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.42

$2.75 MX$47.94

-57.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.34

$1.44 MX$25.00

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.38

$1.89 MX$32.83

-14.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 RON 9.21

$2.17 MX$37.77

-7.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 RON 4.10

$1.78 MX$30.97

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.56

$2.22 MX$38.71

-55.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 3.99

$1.07 MX$18.60

-18.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.54

$1.08 MX$18.79

-28.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 RON 27.04

$4.15 MX$72.2

42.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.17 RON 32.91

$10.45 MX$182

-31.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 RON 4.94

$1.74 MX$30.34

-37.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.55

$2.58 MX$44.92

-36.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.28

$0.51 MX$8.94

41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.86 RON 91.1

$25.94 MX$451

-23.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 RON 3.56

$3.21 MX$55.9

-75.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.22

$2.50 MX$43.55

-72.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 RON 31.55

$3.19 MX$55.4

115.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.31

$1.26 MX$21.87

26.19%

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

$28.1K RON 128.7K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

-5.50%

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

$27.3K RON 125.5K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

15.48%

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

$151 RON 692

$82.0 MX$1,427

83.93%

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

$8.30 RON 38.09

$22.73 MX$395

-63.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.94 RON 41.01

$29.42 MX$512

-69.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.77 RON 187

$52.2 MX$908

-21.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.45 RON 89.2

$18.45 MX$321

5.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.06 RON 32.37

$4.93 MX$85.9

43.20%

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

$433 RON 1,988

$202 MX$3,511

114.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,858 RON 31.5K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

31.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.4 RON 309

$35.93 MX$625

87.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.67 RON 177

$40.33 MX$702

-4.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 RON 345

$79.9 MX$1,390

-5.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 RON 421

$89.3 MX$1,554

2.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 RON 1,796

$948 MX$16.5K

-58.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 RON 1,315

$465 MX$8,097

-38.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 RON 2,709

$1,630 MX$28.4K

-63.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 2,031

$1,193 MX$20.8K

-62.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,722 RON 7,901

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-56.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 RON 6,530

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-77.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $391 in Barlad versus $948 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 $46.00 in Barlad versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Barlad vs $252 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: $1,036 in Barlad, $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 21% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,554 per month in Barlad and $1,888 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 31% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $433 per month in Barlad and $202 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 $1,036, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. 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 $1,036 in Barlad to $1,259 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.