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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,469 in Bayamo versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Bayamo versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,640 in Bayamo versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bayamo is roughly 17% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bayamo is 10% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.19 CUP 76.4

$11.99 MX$210

-73.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 CUP 1,222

$41.78 MX$733

21.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.99 CUP 168

$10.75 MX$189

-34.98%

Cappuccino

$3.32 CUP 79.8

$3.50 MX$61.3

-5.14%

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

$1.27 CUP 30.46

$1.45 MX$25.41

-12.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 CUP 27.09

$0.88 MX$15.52

28.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 CUP 47.30

$2.95 MX$51.7

-33.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CUP 42.95

$4.51 MX$79.1

-60.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 CUP 72.4

$1.43 MX$25.12

111.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 CUP 23.71

$1.84 MX$32.23

-46.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 CUP 73.4

$1.57 MX$27.51

94.90%

Eggs

$3.52 CUP 84.5

$2.51 MX$44.06

40.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.04 CUP 145

$8.28 MX$145

-27.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 CUP 148

$8.43 MX$148

-26.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.96 CUP 287

$10.68 MX$187

11.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 CUP 122

$2.61 MX$45.76

94.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 CUP 29.64

$1.44 MX$25.22

-14.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 CUP 36.88

$1.96 MX$34.41

-21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 CUP 35.11

$2.09 MX$36.74

-30.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 CUP 47.35

$1.85 MX$32.47

6.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CUP 70.9

$2.17 MX$38.02

35.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 CUP 24.62

$1.03 MX$18.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 CUP 26.97

$1.07 MX$18.84

4.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 CUP 96.6

$4.10 MX$72.0

-1.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.08 CUP 242

$10.17 MX$178

-0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 CUP 47.56

$1.68 MX$29.38

17.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CUP 47.26

$2.53 MX$44.31

-22.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 CUP 5.19

$0.51 MX$8.93

-56.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.20 CUP 845

$26.04 MX$457

35.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 CUP 53.8

$3.23 MX$56.7

-30.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 CUP 10.05

$2.41 MX$42.19

-82.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.14 CUP 483

$3.23 MX$56.6

523.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CUP 29.43

$1.32 MX$23.17

-6.82%

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

$74.2K CUP 1.8M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

149.97%

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

$90.2K CUP 2.2M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

281.34%

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

$29.43 CUP 706

$82.0 MX$1,439

-64.11%

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

$10.08 CUP 242

$22.95 MX$403

-56.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$255 CUP 6,110

$30.11 MX$528

745.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.74 CUP 978

$52.0 MX$912

-21.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.91 CUP 238

$18.53 MX$325

-46.52%

Cinema Ticket

$1.01 CUP 24.26

$4.98 MX$87.3

-79.72%

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

$96.5 CUP 2,316

$197 MX$3,463

-51.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K CUP 366.7K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

186.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.36 CUP 489

$35.60 MX$624

-42.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.23 CUP 605

$40.33 MX$707

-37.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 CUP 1,669

$78.8 MX$1,381

-11.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 CUP 1,342

$88.9 MX$1,560

-37.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 CUP 10.1K

$947 MX$16.6K

-55.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 CUP 16.1K

$474 MX$8,314

41.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 CUP 14.0K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-64.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$968 CUP 23.2K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-20.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$393 CUP 9,421

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-90.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$348 CUP 8,356

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-94.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$19.80 CUP 475

$654 MX$11.5K

-96.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-47.46%

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

Last update for Bayamo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $422 in Bayamo and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 3202% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $51.0 in Bayamo vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Groceries & Markets. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 3202% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $422 in Bayamo versus $947 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 $42.00 versus $51.0 in Bayamo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,469 per month in Bayamo versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,469 in Bayamo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Bayamo. 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 Bayamo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Bayamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.