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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,796 in Bayamon versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,604 in Bayamon versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,412 in Bayamon versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bayamon is roughly 40% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bayamon is 34% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.08 $19.08

$11.94 MX$209

59.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$42.75 MX$748

90.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 $9.91

$10.59 MX$185

-6.42%

Cappuccino

$3.39 $3.39

$3.62 MX$63.4

-6.35%

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

$1.78 $1.78

$1.47 MX$25.69

21.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 $1.36

$0.94 MX$16.51

44.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.09 MX$54.1

-0.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.46 MX$78.0

-12.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.43 MX$24.94

64.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.88 MX$32.97

77.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.63 MX$28.50

32.52%

Eggs

$5.45 $5.45

$2.64 MX$46.26

106.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 $8.90

$8.21 MX$144

8.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.50 $7.50

$8.29 MX$145

-9.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.29 $11.29

$11.10 MX$194

1.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.65 MX$46.40

75.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.50 MX$26.26

83.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.99 MX$34.79

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.08 MX$36.33

97.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.79 MX$31.29

47.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.18 MX$38.09

38.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.08 MX$18.84

189.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.04 MX$18.15

53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.04 $11.04

$3.97 MX$69.5

178.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 $15.73

$10.20 MX$179

54.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.73 MX$30.22

42.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.50 MX$43.71

30.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.52 MX$9.07

294.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 $11.77

$26.97 MX$472

-56.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.40 MX$42.04

-38.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.03 $15.03

$3.09 MX$54.0

386.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.27 MX$22.28

-22.83%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

14.39%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

15.56%

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

$283 $283

$82.0 MX$1,435

244.79%

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

$79.5 $79.5

$22.45 MX$393

254.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.04 $48.04

$29.66 MX$519

61.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.18 $25.18

$51.9 MX$908

-51.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 $10.11

$4.97 MX$87.0

103.42%

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

$465 $465

$198 MX$3,462

135.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K $10.5K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

98.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.47 $25.47

$36.34 MX$636

-29.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 $55.7

$40.05 MX$701

39.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 $91.9

$79.9 MX$1,398

15.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.6 $50.6

$88.9 MX$1,555

-43.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 $493

$963 MX$16.9K

-48.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$608 $608

$465 MX$8,133

30.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 $910

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-42.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 $835

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-30.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,040 $2,040

$720 MX$12.6K

183.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

11.42

-50.00%

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

Last update for Bayamon: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $493 in Bayamon and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bayamon pays 183% 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: $81.0 in Bayamon vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $357 vs $251 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bayamon pays 183% 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: $493 in Bayamon versus $963 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 $43.00 versus $81.0 in Bayamon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,796 per month in Bayamon versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,796 in Bayamon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Bayamon. 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 Bayamon, 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 40% less than in Bayamon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.