Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Crooked Island and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,193 in Crooked Island, rent and utilities included – about $11,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Crooked Island

🇧🇸 Bahamas

$2,193

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Crooked Island 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 Crooked Island and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,193 in Crooked Island versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

Crooked Island $2,193
Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,537 in Crooked Island versus $2,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Crooked Island $3,537
Playa del Carmen $2,082

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,882 in Crooked Island versus $2,959 in Playa del Carmen.

Crooked Island $4,882
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Living in Crooked Island is roughly 82% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Crooked Island is 61% above, Playa del Carmen is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$49.20 BSD 49.20

$10.92 MX$205

350.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$813

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.18 BSD 13.18

$11.78 MX$221

11.88%

Cappuccino

$4.02 BSD 4.02

$3.81 MX$71.4

5.51%

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

$4.03 BSD 4.03

$1.28 MX$24.03

214.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 BSD 1.98

$0.78 MX$14.67

153.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 BSD 5.10

$3.17 MX$59.3

60.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 BSD 5.14

$4.93 MX$92.5

4.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$7.91 BSD 7.91

$1.41 MX$26.35

460.99%

White Bread (500g)

$5.89 BSD 5.89

$2.22 MX$41.54

165.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 BSD 3.56

$1.42 MX$26.56

150.70%

Eggs

$11.43 BSD 11.43

$2.52 MX$47.27

353.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.07 BSD 13.07

$7.26 MX$136

80.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 BSD 7.90

$12.69 MX$238

-37.75%

Apples (1kg)

$14.30 BSD 14.30

$2.78 MX$52.2

414.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.64

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 BSD 1.22

$2.55 MX$47.80

-52.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$11.97 BSD 11.97

$2.12 MX$39.78

464.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 BSD 2.18

$1.94 MX$36.32

12.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 BSD 2.85

$1.89 MX$35.34

50.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 BSD 0.98

$1.15 MX$21.49

-14.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 BSD 2.04

$1.18 MX$22.09

72.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.5

Wine (Bottle)

$29.46 BSD 29.46

$9.95 MX$186

196.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.91 BSD 4.91

$1.58 MX$29.67

210.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 BSD 4.87

$2.67 MX$50.1

82.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$499

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$93.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 BSD 2.02

$3.33 MX$62.4

-39.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$27.06

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

$20.7K MX$387.3K

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

$23.5K MX$439.7K

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

$217 BSD 217

$84.8 MX$1,589

156.41%

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

$60.7 BSD 60.7

$23.41 MX$439

159.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 BSD 68.9

$28.66 MX$537

140.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,069

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$542

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$96.3

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

$207 MX$3,871

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.0 BSD 81.0

$43.35 MX$812

86.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.30 BSD 49.30

$41.44 MX$777

18.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$246 BSD 246

$74.2 MX$1,390

231.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 BSD 100

$89.3 MX$1,672

12.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 BSD 554

$980 MX$18.4K

-43.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 BSD 549

$381 MX$7,136

44.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 BSD 1,583

$1,708 MX$32.0K

-7.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 BSD 1,623

$1,075 MX$20.1K

50.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$73.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,109 BSD 1,109

$735 MX$13.8K

51.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Crooked Island: October 24, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Crooked Island

–

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Groceries & Markets

Crooked Island

–

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Eating Out

Crooked Island

–

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Crooked Island

–

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Crooked Island

–

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Crooked Island

–

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Getting Around

Crooked Island

–

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $554 in Crooked Island and $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Crooked Island pays 51% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Good to know

🇧🇸 Crooked Island

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

07:20 7:20 AM

Same time as Crooked Island

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

240

149,923

💱 Currency

Bahamian Dollar BSD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BSD = 1 USD

1 BSD = 0.896 EUR

100 MXN = 5.34 USD

100 MXN = 4.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to BSD – Bahamian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇸 Bahamian Dollar ($)

Bahamian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1 BSD (1 BSD = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 BSD (1 BSD = 0.896 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.74 MXN (100 MXN = 5.34 USD). 1 EUR = 20.91 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

USD to BSD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Crooked Island Playa del Carmen 1,350 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Crooked Island
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

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,193 in Crooked Island and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, so Playa del Carmen is about 45% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 51% higher in Crooked Island, 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: $554 in Crooked Island versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 108% higher in Crooked Island. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $2,193 per month in Crooked Island versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – Playa del Carmen is about 45% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,193 in Crooked Island, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Crooked Island. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Playa del Carmen wins on affordability, Crooked Island on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.