Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bridgewater and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,352 in Bridgewater, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bridgewater
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,352
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bridgewater and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bridgewater and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,352 per month in Bridgewater vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Bridgewater $2,352
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $3,446 per month in Bridgewater vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Bridgewater $3,446
  • Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $4,540 per month in Bridgewater vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Bridgewater $4,540
  • Playa del Carmen $3,000

Bridgewater costs about 95% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Bridgewater sits 74% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bridgewater
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.31 £15.24
$10.86 MX$201
87.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$86.8 £65.2
$44.21 MX$817
96.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 £8.07
$11.76 MX$217
-8.59%
Cappuccino
$4.71 £3.54
$3.68 MX$68.0
27.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 £1.90
$1.34 MX$24.79
89.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 £1.40
$0.82 MX$15.24
126.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.54 £4.91
$3.06 MX$56.6
113.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.40 £4.80
$4.94 MX$91.2
29.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bridgewater
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 £1.25
$1.47 MX$27.17
13.61%
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 £1.20
$2.22 MX$40.95
-27.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 £1.64
$1.48 MX$27.32
47.97%
Eggs
$3.57 £2.68
$2.49 MX$45.99
43.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.50 £7.13
$7.52 MX$139
26.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.45 £6.34
$7.96 MX$147
6.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.39 £10.79
$12.57 MX$232
14.48%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 £2.21
$2.78 MX$51.3
6.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 £1.15
$1.43 MX$26.37
6.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.82 £2.12
$2.62 MX$48.37
7.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.27 £2.46
$2.14 MX$39.49
52.80%
Potato (1kg)
$1.61 £1.21
$2.02 MX$37.38
-20.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.55 £1.17
$1.99 MX$36.74
-22.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 £0.90
$1.14 MX$21.01
4.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.48 £1.11
$1.20 MX$22.18
23.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.65 £17.74
$4.26 MX$78.7
455.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.76 £8.07
$10.02 MX$185
7.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.97 £2.23
$1.54 MX$28.41
92.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 £2.10
$2.66 MX$49.17
5.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Bridgewater
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.68 £2.76
$0.53 MX$9.73
594.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.4 £71.6
$27.51 MX$508
246.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 £4.06
$4.90 MX$90.6
10.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.10 £1.57
$3.43 MX$63.5
-38.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.43 £19.08
$5.38 MX$99.4
372.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.00 £1.50
$1.45 MX$26.76
37.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.0K £30.7K
$21.2K MX$391.0K
93.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.6K £33.5K
$23.0K MX$425.3K
93.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bridgewater
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$316 £237
$85.4 MX$1,577
269.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.67 £14.75
$23.46 MX$434
-16.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.82 £31.37
$28.43 MX$525
47.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bridgewater
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.93 £35.21
$62.2 MX$1,149
-24.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.68 MX$530
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.83 £10.37
$5.10 MX$94.3
171.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bridgewater
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,715 £1,287
$201 MX$3,715
752.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.3K £19.0K
$3,947 MX$72.9K
541.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bridgewater
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.2 £65.4
$44.39 MX$820
96.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.39 £35.56
$41.35 MX$764
14.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.6 £64.9
$72.7 MX$1,344
19.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101 £75.6
$89.6 MX$1,656
12.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bridgewater
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,220 £915
$979 MX$18.1K
24.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,021 £766
$373 MX$6,887
174.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,115 £1,587
$1,681 MX$31.1K
25.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,669 £1,252
$1,095 MX$20.2K
52.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,345 £4,010
$3,949 MX$73.0K
35.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,301 £2,477
$6,137 MX$113.4K
-46.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bridgewater
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,271 £3,204
$738 MX$13.6K
479.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.09
11.45
-55.55%

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

Last update for Bridgewater: October 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bridgewater
$1K
Playa del Carmen
$373 63.5% $649
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bridgewater
$377
Playa del Carmen
$137 63.6% $240
Eating Out
Bridgewater
$314
Playa del Carmen
$200 36.3% $114
Groceries & Markets
Bridgewater
$294
Playa del Carmen
$258 12% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Bridgewater
$145
Playa del Carmen
$112 22.9% $33
Getting Around
Bridgewater
$126
Playa del Carmen
$52 59% $74
Sport & Entertainment
Bridgewater
$75
Playa del Carmen
$72 2.9% $2.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,220 in Bridgewater versus $979 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 479% higher in Bridgewater, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Bridgewater versus $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $258 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Bridgewater
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
12:07 12:07 PM
06:07 6:07 AM
6 h behind Bridgewater
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
36,666
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bridgewater Playa del Carmen 7,830 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bridgewater
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Bridgewater vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Bridgewater?
Yes – Bridgewater is pricier by about 95%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,528 per month in Bridgewater and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 247% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,715 per month in Bridgewater and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Bridgewater or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Bridgewater at $2,352. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bridgewater it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Bridgewater or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bridgewater makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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