Cost of Living Comparison Between Basse-Terre and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Basse-Terre and Playa del Carmen

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

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

$22.21 MX$385

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

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

$198 MX$3,438

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

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 Basse-Terre: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $0 in Basse-Terre and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $0 in Basse-Terre vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $0 vs $252 per month, with Basse-Terre 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

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

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

It comes down to priorities – Basse-Terre wins on affordability, Playa del Carmen on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.