Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrigada and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrigada and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,967 in Barrigada versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,782 in Barrigada versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,597 in Barrigada versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Barrigada is roughly 129% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barrigada is 121% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.0 $99.0

$41.62 MX$720

137.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.67 $3.67

$3.52 MX$60.9

4.26%

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

$1.86 $1.86

$1.51 MX$26.12

23.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.95 MX$51.0

-2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 $3.64

$4.45 MX$77.0

-18.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.38 MX$23.93

154.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

Eggs

$4.75 $4.75

$2.51 MX$43.34

89.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 $6.93

$4.08 MX$70.6

69.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.31 MX$22.61

19.08%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$416 $416

$82.9 MX$1,433

401.98%

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

$98.2 $98.2

$22.22 MX$384

341.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.5 $79.5

$29.34 MX$507

170.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$717 $717

$201 MX$3,473

257.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 $2,440

$973 MX$16.8K

150.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 $2,208

$468 MX$8,090

372.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,336 $3,336

$1,641 MX$28.4K

103.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,218 $3,218

$1,221 MX$21.1K

163.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,802 $4,802

$664 MX$11.5K

623.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Barrigada: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,440 in Barrigada and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrigada pays 623% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $99.0 in Barrigada vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $54.0 vs $249, with Barrigada cheaper for home cooking.

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

Barrigada vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 129% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Barrigada pays 623% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,440 in Barrigada versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Barrigada pay roughly 361% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,967 per month in Barrigada versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,967 in Barrigada, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Barrigada. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barrigada, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Barrigada and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Barrigada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.