Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barretos and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Barretos: $786 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Barretos, Brazil
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Barretos
🇧🇷 Brazil
$786
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barretos and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barretos and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $786 per month in Barretos vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Barretos $786
  • Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $1,264 per month in Barretos vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Barretos $1,264
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1,742 per month in Barretos vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Barretos $1,742
  • Playa del Carmen $2,962

Barretos is about 35% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Barretos and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Barretos 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barretos
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.48 R$35.55
$10.67 MX$201
-39.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.43 R$123
$43.80 MX$824
-48.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.90 R$32.40
$11.79 MX$222
-49.96%
Cappuccino
$1.53 R$8.40
$3.79 MX$71.2
-59.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19 R$6.51
$1.30 MX$24.41
-8.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 R$2.96
$0.83 MX$15.69
-34.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.27 R$12.43
$3.15 MX$59.2
-27.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 R$15.08
$4.93 MX$92.9
-44.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barretos
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.95 R$5.19
$1.41 MX$26.51
-32.62%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 R$10.18
$2.20 MX$41.32
-15.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.23 R$6.75
$1.47 MX$27.71
-16.33%
Eggs
$2.30 R$12.63
$2.50 MX$46.99
-8.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.14 R$55.7
$7.29 MX$137
39.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.41 R$24.18
$7.95 MX$150
-44.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.10 R$55.4
$12.86 MX$242
-21.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 R$12.20
$2.90 MX$54.5
-23.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 R$8.33
$1.38 MX$26.03
10.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.41 R$7.74
$2.49 MX$46.88
-43.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.26 R$6.94
$2.03 MX$38.20
-37.93%
Potato (1kg)
$1.22 R$6.72
$2.02 MX$38.11
-39.60%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 R$6.39
$1.90 MX$35.82
-38.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.91 R$4.97
$1.14 MX$21.54
-20.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 R$4.14
$1.24 MX$23.32
-39.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.35 R$12.87
$4.27 MX$80.4
-44.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.77 R$42.66
$9.81 MX$185
-20.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.40 R$7.70
$1.59 MX$29.85
-11.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 R$12.89
$2.75 MX$51.7
-14.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Barretos
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.00 R$5.51
$0.51 MX$9.69
96.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.65 R$229
$27.39 MX$515
52.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.09 R$5.97
$4.76 MX$89.6
-77.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.72 R$3.95
$3.25 MX$61.1
-77.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.90 R$43.36
$5.39 MX$101
46.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.87 R$4.80
$1.53 MX$28.76
-43.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K R$121.1K
$21.2K MX$399.2K
4.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.4K R$172.2K
$23.3K MX$437.8K
34.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barretos
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$28.27 R$155
$83.5 MX$1,571
-66.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.57 R$30.55
$23.19 MX$436
-75.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.98 R$82.2
$27.61 MX$520
-45.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barretos
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.15 R$127
$56.4 MX$1,062
-58.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.47 R$140
$28.19 MX$531
-9.65%
Cinema Ticket
$7.49 R$41.12
$5.00 MX$94.1
49.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barretos
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$401 R$2,203
$207 MX$3,897
93.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.2K R$56.1K
$5,231 MX$98.4K
95.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barretos
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.9 R$334
$43.45 MX$818
40.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.28 R$122
$42.54 MX$801
-47.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.6 R$453
$72.8 MX$1,369
13.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$64.3 R$353
$88.4 MX$1,663
-27.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barretos
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$335 R$1,840
$995 MX$18.7K
-66.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$231 R$1,265
$382 MX$7,197
-39.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$636 R$3,489
$1,674 MX$31.5K
-62.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$450 R$2,467
$1,081 MX$20.3K
-58.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,579 R$8,664
$3,909 MX$73.6K
-59.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,130 R$6,202
$6,138 MX$115.5K
-81.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barretos
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$532 R$2,921
$832 MX$15.7K
-36.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.81
11.45
-5.59%

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

Last update for Barretos: November 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barretos
$230
Playa del Carmen
$382 65.9% $152
Groceries & Markets
Barretos
$203
Playa del Carmen
$257 26.8% $54
Eating Out
Barretos
$112
Playa del Carmen
$200 79.4% $89
Clothing & Footwear
Barretos
$104
Playa del Carmen
$111 7.4% $7.7
Getting Around
Barretos
$50
Playa del Carmen
$50 0.2% $0.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barretos
$49
Playa del Carmen
$134 175% $85
Sport & Entertainment
Barretos
$38
Playa del Carmen
$66 74.2% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $335 in Barretos versus $995 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.

Salaries run about 56% higher in Playa del Carmen. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Barretos versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $257 – making Barretos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Barretos
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
02:10 2:10 AM
00:10 12:10 AM
2 h behind Barretos
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
122,485
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 5.49 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.14 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.82 MXN (100 MXN = 5.31 USD). 1 EUR = 21.05 MXN (100 MXN = 4.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barretos Playa del Carmen 6,210 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Barretos
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Barretos vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Barretos and in Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $786 in Barretos, $1,202 in Playa del Carmen – Barretos comes out roughly 35% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Barretos compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,179 per month in Barretos and $1,804 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Barretos and Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Barretos, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $335 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Barretos and $44 in Playa del Carmen. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Barretos or Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $786 in Barretos and $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Barretos about 35% cheaper.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Barretos, where all-in costs run around $786, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,202. In Barretos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Barretos and Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $786 in Barretos to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Barretos and Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Barretos. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Barretos vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?