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: $2,460 in Bridgetown versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,738 in Bridgetown versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,015 in Bridgetown versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bridgetown is roughly 94% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bridgetown is 80% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.10 BBD 40.20

$11.60 MX$200

73.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.7 BBD 189

$47.11 MX$812

100.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 BBD 14.81

$11.88 MX$205

-37.63%

Cappuccino

$4.46 BBD 8.91

$3.98 MX$68.6

12.06%

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

$1.53 BBD 3.05

$1.43 MX$24.60

6.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 BBD 2.74

$0.82 MX$14.22

67.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 BBD 4.91

$3.19 MX$55.0

-23.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 BBD 11.86

$6.79 MX$117

-12.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.98 BBD 7.96

$1.68 MX$28.89

136.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.93 BBD 7.87

$2.20 MX$37.88

78.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 BBD 5.87

$1.71 MX$29.45

71.93%

Eggs

$6.15 BBD 12.30

$2.74 MX$47.26

124.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 BBD 18.27

$9.58 MX$165

-4.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.47 BBD 18.93

$9.01 MX$155

5.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 BBD 15.52

$12.81 MX$221

-39.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.61 BBD 11.22

$2.89 MX$49.81

94.12%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 BBD 6.22

$1.50 MX$25.81

107.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 BBD 10.72

$2.15 MX$37.03

149.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 BBD 9.97

$2.26 MX$38.96

120.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 BBD 3.65

$1.98 MX$34.15

-8.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 BBD 4.70

$1.99 MX$34.30

18.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 BBD 5.62

$1.23 MX$21.28

128.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 BBD 6.48

$1.20 MX$20.63

170.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.13 BBD 20.26

$4.55 MX$78.5

122.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.83 BBD 27.67

$10.37 MX$179

33.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 BBD 3.58

$1.62 MX$27.91

10.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BBD 3.70

$2.88 MX$49.67

-35.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 BBD 3.48

$0.60 MX$10.35

190.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 BBD 55.0

$28.80 MX$497

-4.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.30 BBD 14.60

$5.39 MX$92.9

35.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.06 BBD 80.1

$5.77 MX$99.5

594.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 BBD 4.07

$1.54 MX$26.48

31.82%

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

$37.6K BBD 75.2K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

66.86%

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

$34.9K BBD 69.7K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

33.79%

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

$194 BBD 388

$91.4 MX$1,576

112.41%

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

$56.2 BBD 112

$25.20 MX$435

123.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.7 BBD 159

$31.24 MX$539

155.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.8 BBD 184

$67.2 MX$1,159

36.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 BBD 30.32

$4.86 MX$83.8

211.93%

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,032 BBD 6,064

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-28.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 BBD 106

$47.10 MX$812

12.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.15 BBD 78.3

$44.29 MX$764

-11.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 BBD 198

$80.1 MX$1,381

23.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.5 BBD 139

$92.7 MX$1,598

-24.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 BBD 2,391

$1,063 MX$18.3K

12.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,138 BBD 2,275

$390 MX$6,728

191.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,110 BBD 4,220

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-1.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,016 BBD 4,033

$1,272 MX$21.9K

58.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,524 BBD 7,048

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-11.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,561 BBD 7,121

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-45.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,787 BBD 3,574

$758 MX$13.1K

135.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

11.45

-40.17%

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

Last update for Bridgetown: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,196 in Bridgetown and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bridgetown pays 136% 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: $95.0 in Bridgetown vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 94% 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.

Average pay runs 136% higher in Bridgetown, 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: $1,196 in Bridgetown versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Bridgetown. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,460 per month in Bridgetown versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,460 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 $1,266 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 94% less than in Bridgetown. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.