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 $1,037 per month in Barlad vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,604 per month in Barlad vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,171 per month in Barlad vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Barlad is about 20% 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.64 RON 48.06

$11.71 MX$198

-9.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.71 RON 188

$46.59 MX$786

-10.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 RON 33.88

$11.65 MX$197

-35.62%

Cappuccino

$2.67 RON 12.06

$4.09 MX$69.1

-34.72%

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

$2.04 RON 9.23

$1.37 MX$23.20

48.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 RON 7.57

$0.83 MX$14.07

101.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 RON 9.69

$3.35 MX$56.6

-36.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 RON 11.64

$6.91 MX$117

-62.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.32

$1.73 MX$29.15

-19.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 RON 5.83

$2.26 MX$38.15

-42.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 RON 6.38

$1.77 MX$29.86

-20.34%

Eggs

$3.10 RON 13.98

$2.73 MX$46.12

13.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 RON 33.47

$9.18 MX$155

-19.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 RON 29.44

$8.92 MX$151

-26.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 RON 47.99

$12.60 MX$213

-15.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 RON 5.69

$3.02 MX$51.0

-58.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.54

$1.57 MX$26.51

-7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 RON 6.23

$2.13 MX$35.88

-35.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 RON 10.39

$2.26 MX$38.22

1.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$2.00 MX$33.82

-61.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.50

$2.06 MX$34.85

-62.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 RON 3.85

$1.18 MX$19.91

-27.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.23

$1.20 MX$20.32

-21.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.86 RON 31.00

$4.63 MX$78.2

48.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 RON 28.71

$10.69 MX$180

-40.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 RON 5.69

$1.62 MX$27.33

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 RON 6.82

$2.88 MX$48.63

-47.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 RON 2.37

$0.57 MX$9.68

-8.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.51 RON 97.2

$29.83 MX$503

-27.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 RON 3.40

$5.45 MX$91.9

-86.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.35

$3.70 MX$62.5

-80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.04 RON 31.82

$5.98 MX$101

17.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.30

$1.55 MX$26.22

18.71%

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

$28.5K RON 129.0K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

27.85%

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

$29.1K RON 131.6K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

12.25%

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

$165 RON 743

$89.1 MX$1,504

84.56%

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

$9.46 RON 42.73

$25.04 MX$423

-62.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.15 RON 41.34

$31.50 MX$532

-70.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.78 RON 166

$67.8 MX$1,144

-45.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.62 RON 102

$28.92 MX$488

-21.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.18 RON 32.44

$5.05 MX$85.2

42.18%

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

$444 RON 2,008

$225 MX$3,797

97.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,345 RON 28.7K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

50.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 RON 280

$47.44 MX$801

30.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.63 RON 193

$44.98 MX$759

-5.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 RON 388

$82.0 MX$1,384

4.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 RON 347

$92.1 MX$1,555

-16.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 RON 1,600

$1,069 MX$18.0K

-66.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 RON 1,483

$405 MX$6,842

-19.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 RON 2,753

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-68.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 RON 2,033

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-65.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,862 RON 8,414

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-53.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,415 RON 6,393

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-78.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.97

11.45

-39.13%

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

Last update for Barlad: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $354 in Barlad versus $1,069 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 $42.00 in Barlad versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $277 – making Barlad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $1,037 in Barlad, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 25% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,556 per month in Barlad and $1,940 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 39% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $444 per month in Barlad and $225 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 $1,037, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $1,037 in Barlad to $1,293 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.