Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bac Kan Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bac Kan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $719 in Bac Kan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,119 in Bac Kan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,518 in Bac Kan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 75% more expensive than in Bac Kan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Bac Kan 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$1.14 ₫30.0K

951.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$26.51 ₫697.1K

57.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$4.48 ₫117.8K

139.96%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$0.79 ₫20.7K

343.04%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.27 ₫7,172

437.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.25 ₫6,518

252.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$0.93 ₫24.4K

217.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$0.99 ₫26.1K

355.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.44 ₫37.8K

-0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.90 ₫23.8K

104.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.85 ₫22.2K

84.71%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.52 ₫39.8K

65.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$9.04 ₫237.8K

-8.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$3.78 ₫99.3K

123.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$9.38 ₫246.5K

13.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.39 ₫89.2K

-23.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.03 ₫27.0K

39.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.64 ₫43.2K

19.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.11 ₫29.3K

88.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.06 ₫28.0K

74.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.06 ₫27.8K

104.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.56 ₫14.7K

83.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.53 ₫13.9K

101.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$1.32 ₫34.7K

210.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$13.28 ₫349.3K

-23.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$0.95 ₫24.8K

76.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.77 ₫46.6K

42.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.32 ₫8,318

59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$6.54 ₫172.0K

298.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.74 ₫19.5K

336.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.58 ₫15.2K

315.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.60 ₫42.1K

101.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.85 ₫22.5K

55.29%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$38.3K ₫1.0B

-22.48%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$32.2K ₫846.3M

-26.49%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$78.9 ₫2.1M

3.95%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$5.11 ₫134.3K

349.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$8.76 ₫230.3K

243.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$21.31 ₫560.2K

143.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$7.65 ₫201.2K

142.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$3.76 ₫98.9K

32.45%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$265 ₫7.0M

-25.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$11.6K ₫305.6M

-54.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$45.10 ₫1.2M

-21.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$23.62 ₫620.9K

70.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$87.0 ₫2.3M

-9.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$71.9 ₫1.9M

23.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$360 ₫9.5M

162.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$250 ₫6.6M

89.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$691 ₫18.2M

137.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$459 ₫12.1M

163.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$3,207 ₫84.3M

26.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,465 ₫38.5M

341.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.1

25.49%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bac Kan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $360 in Bac Kan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Bac Kan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $191 per month, with Bac Kan 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

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

Bac Kan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $1,079 in Bac Kan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $360 in Bac Kan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bac Kan – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $719 in Bac Kan – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $719 in Bac Kan versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bac Kan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bac Kan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bac Kan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Bac Kan 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 Bac Kan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.