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: $2,039 in Bayamon versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,075 in Bayamon versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,110 in Bayamon versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bayamon is roughly 61% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bayamon is 49% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.38 $18.38

$11.60 MX$200

58.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.7 $85.7

$47.11 MX$812

82.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 $9.29

$11.88 MX$205

-21.80%

Cappuccino

$3.42 $3.42

$3.98 MX$68.6

-14.07%

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

$1.80 $1.80

$1.43 MX$24.60

25.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 $1.36

$0.82 MX$14.22

65.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.19 MX$55.0

-3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$6.79 MX$117

-41.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.68 MX$28.89

38.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.20 MX$37.88

54.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.71 MX$29.45

33.33%

Eggs

$5.66 $5.66

$2.74 MX$47.26

106.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 $10.98

$9.58 MX$165

14.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 $7.63

$9.01 MX$155

-15.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.56 $11.56

$12.81 MX$221

-9.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.89 MX$49.81

69.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.50 MX$25.81

77.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$2.15 MX$37.03

115.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$2.26 MX$38.96

108.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.98 MX$34.15

37.88%

Onion (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$1.99 MX$34.30

101.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.23 MX$21.28

181.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.20 MX$20.63

25.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.17 $11.17

$4.55 MX$78.5

145.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.85 $15.85

$10.37 MX$179

52.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.62 MX$27.91

60.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.88 MX$49.67

20.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.60 MX$10.35

236.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.87 $11.87

$28.80 MX$497

-58.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 $2.53

$5.39 MX$92.9

-53.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$3.73 MX$64.3

-60.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.83 $41.83

$5.77 MX$99.5

624.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.54 MX$26.48

-30.52%

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

$40.2K $40.2K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

78.29%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

7.91%

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

$226 $226

$91.4 MX$1,576

147.38%

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

$69.7 $69.7

$25.20 MX$435

176.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 $59.8

$31.24 MX$539

91.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.51 $24.51

$67.2 MX$1,159

-63.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$9.91 $9.91

$4.86 MX$83.8

103.91%

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

$828 $828

$224 MX$3,856

270.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K $12.8K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

202.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.29 $25.29

$47.10 MX$812

-46.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.0 $62.0

$44.29 MX$764

39.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$80.1 MX$1,381

35.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 $50.2

$92.7 MX$1,598

-45.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 $1,002

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-5.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$898 $898

$390 MX$6,728

130.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,622 $1,622

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-24.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,555 $1,555

$1,272 MX$21.9K

22.23%

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)

$2,051 $2,051

$758 MX$13.1K

170.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

11.45

-42.79%

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

Last update for Bayamon: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,002 in Bayamon and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bayamon pays 171% 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: $86.0 in Bayamon vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $276 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 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 171% higher in Bayamon, 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: $1,002 in Bayamon 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 $86.0 in Bayamon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,039 per month in Bayamon versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,039 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 61% less than in Bayamon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.