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: $2,356 in Barnstable, MA versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,483 in Barnstable, MA versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,610 in Barnstable, MA versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Barnstable, MA is roughly 83% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barnstable, MA is 76% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.31 $20.31

$11.94 MX$209

70.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.2 $65.2

$42.75 MX$748

52.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$10.59 MX$185

-3.87%

Cappuccino

$4.17 $4.17

$3.62 MX$63.4

15.19%

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

$2.08 $2.08

$1.47 MX$25.69

41.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.94 MX$16.51

75.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.09 MX$54.1

63.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.43 $6.43

$4.46 MX$78.0

44.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.43 MX$24.94

-30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.88 MX$32.97

56.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.63 MX$28.50

159.51%

Eggs

$3.75 $3.75

$2.64 MX$46.26

42.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.60 $6.60

$8.21 MX$144

-19.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.29 MX$145

6.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 $8.97

$11.10 MX$194

-19.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.65 MX$46.40

40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.50 MX$26.26

-7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$1.99 MX$34.79

98.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.08 MX$36.33

71.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.79 MX$31.29

18.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.18 MX$38.09

2.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.08 MX$18.84

76.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.04 MX$18.15

52.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.33 $12.33

$3.97 MX$69.5

210.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 $13.16

$10.20 MX$179

29.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.73 MX$30.22

-1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.50 MX$43.71

29.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.52 MX$9.07

280.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.14 MX$55.0

-6.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.40 MX$42.04

-29.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.95 $28.95

$3.09 MX$54.0

836.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.27 MX$22.28

-29.13%

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

$34.8K $34.8K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

12.62%

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

$23.5K $23.5K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

0.98%

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

$102 $102

$82.0 MX$1,435

24.06%

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

$52.7 $52.7

$22.45 MX$393

134.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$29.66 MX$519

126.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.31 $43.31

$51.9 MX$908

-16.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$14.24 $14.24

$4.97 MX$87.0

186.52%

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

$1,711 $1,711

$198 MX$3,462

765.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K $30.5K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

479.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.04 $48.04

$36.34 MX$636

32.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.64 $33.64

$40.05 MX$701

-16.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 $85.9

$79.9 MX$1,398

7.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 $161

$88.9 MX$1,555

81.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,619 $1,619

$963 MX$16.9K

68.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,354 $1,354

$465 MX$8,133

191.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,660 $2,660

$1,596 MX$27.9K

66.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 $2,194

$1,209 MX$21.2K

81.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,343 $2,343

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-40.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,441 $2,441

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-62.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,619 in Barnstable, MA and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Barnstable, MA vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $251 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 83% in total monthly costs ($2,356 vs $1,287 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 $3,535 in Barnstable, MA and $1,930 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: $1,619 in Barnstable, MA versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Barnstable, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,356 per month in Barnstable, MA versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,356 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 83% less than in Barnstable, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.