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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,675 in Bridgetown versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,963 in Bridgetown versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,251 in Bridgetown versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bridgetown is roughly 30% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bridgetown is 25% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.86 BBD 39.72

$11.94 MX$209

66.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.7 BBD 185

$42.75 MX$748

116.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 BBD 18.90

$10.59 MX$185

-10.76%

Cappuccino

$4.98 BBD 9.96

$3.62 MX$63.4

37.57%

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

$1.51 BBD 3.03

$1.47 MX$25.69

2.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 BBD 2.55

$0.94 MX$16.51

35.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 BBD 4.89

$3.09 MX$54.1

-20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.07 BBD 12.14

$4.46 MX$78.0

36.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.99 BBD 7.99

$1.43 MX$24.94

179.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 BBD 5.45

$1.88 MX$32.97

45.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 BBD 6.80

$1.63 MX$28.50

108.59%

Eggs

$5.57 BBD 11.14

$2.64 MX$46.26

110.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 BBD 19.49

$8.21 MX$144

18.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.81 BBD 17.63

$8.29 MX$145

6.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.03 BBD 20.07

$11.10 MX$194

-9.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 BBD 7.96

$2.65 MX$46.40

50.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 BBD 5.36

$1.50 MX$26.26

78.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.68 BBD 9.36

$1.99 MX$34.79

135.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 BBD 6.00

$2.08 MX$36.33

44.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 BBD 5.78

$1.79 MX$31.29

61.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 BBD 4.76

$2.18 MX$38.09

9.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 BBD 5.55

$1.08 MX$18.84

156.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 BBD 4.31

$1.04 MX$18.15

106.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 BBD 16.12

$3.97 MX$69.5

103.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 BBD 27.99

$10.20 MX$179

37.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 BBD 3.38

$1.73 MX$30.22

-2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 BBD 5.82

$2.50 MX$43.71

16.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 BBD 3.45

$0.52 MX$9.07

230.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.30 BBD 52.6

$26.97 MX$472

-2.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$17.59 BBD 35.19

$3.14 MX$55.0

460.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 BBD 1.97

$2.40 MX$42.04

-58.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.52 BBD 81.1

$3.09 MX$54.0

1211.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 BBD 4.26

$1.27 MX$22.28

67.72%

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

$34.8K BBD 69.7K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

12.79%

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

$37.2K BBD 74.4K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

59.64%

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

$87.4 BBD 175

$82.0 MX$1,435

6.58%

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

$57.2 BBD 114

$22.45 MX$393

154.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.99 BBD 98.0

$29.66 MX$519

65.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 BBD 139

$51.9 MX$908

34.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$10.22 BBD 20.43

$4.97 MX$87.0

105.63%

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

$239 BBD 478

$198 MX$3,462

20.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,589 BBD 13.2K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

24.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 BBD 120

$36.34 MX$636

65.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.8 BBD 128

$40.05 MX$701

59.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$187 BBD 373

$79.9 MX$1,398

133.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 BBD 251

$88.9 MX$1,555

41.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 BBD 1,166

$963 MX$16.9K

-39.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 BBD 945

$465 MX$8,133

1.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 BBD 3,569

$1,596 MX$27.9K

11.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 BBD 2,669

$1,209 MX$21.2K

10.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,468 BBD 6,936

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-12.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,551 BBD 7,103

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-44.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,556 BBD 3,112

$720 MX$12.6K

115.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

11.42

-48.77%

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

Last update for Bridgetown: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $583 in Bridgetown and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bridgetown pays 116% 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: $93.0 in Bridgetown vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Bridgetown. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bridgetown pays 116% 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: $583 in Bridgetown versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $239 in Bridgetown versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Bridgetown. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,675 in Bridgetown, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Bridgetown. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,287 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bridgetown 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 30% less than in Bridgetown. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.