Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnstable, MA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnstable, MA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,389 in Barnstable, MA versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,507 in Barnstable, MA versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,626 in Barnstable, MA versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Barnstable, MA is roughly 88% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barnstable, MA is 78% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.05 $20.05

$11.87 MX$204

68.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.7 $65.7

$42.90 MX$736

53.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 $10.08

$10.65 MX$183

-5.35%

Cappuccino

$4.15 $4.15

$3.45 MX$59.2

20.29%

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

$2.07 $2.07

$1.50 MX$25.81

38.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.95 MX$16.28

72.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 $5.04

$3.03 MX$51.9

66.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 $6.34

$4.61 MX$79.1

37.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.38 MX$23.61

-28.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.85 MX$31.70

62.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$1.61 MX$27.65

163.35%

Eggs

$3.77 $3.77

$2.59 MX$44.51

45.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.53 $6.53

$8.26 MX$142

-20.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.82 $8.82

$8.37 MX$144

5.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.75 $8.75

$10.66 MX$183

-17.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.63 MX$45.12

45.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.49 MX$25.53

-7.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.92 MX$32.94

103.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.09 MX$35.81

66.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.86 MX$31.88

18.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.26 MX$38.81

-6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.06 MX$18.23

76.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.09 MX$18.67

50.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.16 $12.16

$4.15 MX$71.2

193.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.25 $13.25

$10.39 MX$178

27.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.72 MX$29.59

2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.61 MX$44.85

25.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.54 MX$9.30

261.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.13 MX$53.7

-1.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.51 MX$43.09

-32.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.86 $28.86

$3.15 MX$54.1

816.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.27 MX$21.88

-29.13%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

17.13%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

3.51%

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

$99.4 $99.4

$83.0 MX$1,425

19.78%

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

$53.3 $53.3

$22.71 MX$390

134.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.3 $65.3

$29.46 MX$506

121.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.49 $43.49

$51.0 MX$875

-14.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$14.24 $14.24

$4.93 MX$84.5

188.84%

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

$1,722 $1,722

$197 MX$3,386

772.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.8K $29.8K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

464.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.32 $48.32

$36.90 MX$633

30.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.02 $34.02

$39.89 MX$685

-14.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 $85.7

$80.0 MX$1,373

7.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 $160

$89.5 MX$1,536

79.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 $1,594

$956 MX$16.4K

66.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 $1,374

$477 MX$8,189

187.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,668 $2,668

$1,646 MX$28.3K

62.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,210 $2,210

$1,225 MX$21.0K

80.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,545 $2,545

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-35.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,571 $2,571

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-60.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

11.42

-42.21%

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

Last update for Barnstable, MA: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,594 in Barnstable, MA and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $66.0 in Barnstable, MA vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $250 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

Barnstable, MA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barnstable, MA and Playa del Carmen differ by about 88% in total monthly costs ($2,389 vs $1,271 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,583 in Barnstable, MA and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,594 in Barnstable, MA versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Barnstable, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,389 per month in Barnstable, MA versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,389 in Barnstable, MA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Barnstable, MA. 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.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Barnstable, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.