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: $2,835 in Barrigada versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,613 in Barrigada versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,391 in Barrigada versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Barrigada is roughly 124% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barrigada is 107% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.3 $98.3

$47.11 MX$812

108.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.18 $7.18

$4.55 MX$78.5

57.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.54 MX$26.48

-3.25%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$417 $417

$91.4 MX$1,576

355.96%

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

$102 $102

$25.20 MX$435

303.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.8 $80.8

$31.24 MX$539

158.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$731 $731

$224 MX$3,856

226.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,450 $2,450

$1,063 MX$18.3K

130.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,220 $2,220

$390 MX$6,728

468.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,300 $3,300

$2,149 MX$37.1K

53.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,159 $3,159

$1,272 MX$21.9K

148.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,744 $4,744

$758 MX$13.1K

525.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Barrigada: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,450 in Barrigada and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrigada pays 526% 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 at a mid-range restaurant: $98.0 in Barrigada vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for two.

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 124% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 526% higher in Barrigada, 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: $2,450 in Barrigada versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $98.0 in Barrigada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $731 in Barrigada versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,835 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 124% less than in Barrigada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.