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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $969 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,621 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,273 in Bacau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 31% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Bacau 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$14.97 RON 68.7

-22.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$86.4 RON 396

-45.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.80 RON 35.77

52.31%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.14 RON 9.83

85.98%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.10 RON 9.62

-31.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.91 RON 8.76

-57.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.71 RON 12.43

17.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.39 RON 15.55

100.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.24 RON 5.71

35.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.69 RON 3.18

218.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.79 RON 8.23

-4.47%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.52 RON 16.15

-22.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.86 RON 36.04

21.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.59 RON 25.65

61.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$8.81 RON 40.42

45.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.15 RON 5.27

151.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.51 RON 6.95

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.65 RON 7.58

30.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.89 RON 8.65

19.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.72 RON 3.28

175.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.73 RON 3.33

172.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.76 RON 3.47

61.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.77 RON 3.55

55.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$5.71 RON 26.21

-20.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$5.44 RON 24.96

90.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.02 RON 4.69

58.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.29 RON 5.93

123.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.78 RON 3.59

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$30.97 RON 142

-7.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.61 RON 2.78

783.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.69 RON 3.18

440.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$7.16 RON 32.83

-19.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.79 RON 8.20

-13.97%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$28.8K RON 132.3K

-21.79%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$26.0K RON 119.3K

0.19%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$109 RON 502

-16.54%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$7.82 RON 35.89

222.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$5.08 RON 23.29

514.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$27.15 RON 125

147.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$16.73 RON 76.7

74.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$6.50 RON 29.82

-25.23%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$604 RON 2,771

-62.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$5,174 RON 23.7K

-18.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$86.9 RON 399

-45.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$32.84 RON 151

34.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$63.5 RON 291

26.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$88.7 RON 407

4.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$426 RON 1,954

149.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$249 RON 1,144

56.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$560 RON 2,571

283.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$421 RON 1,934

201.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,878 RON 8,616

113.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,271 RON 5,830

411.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,002 RON 4,598

-24.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.97

64.28%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bacau: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $426 in Bacau. 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 32% higher in Bacau, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $86.0 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $184 in Bacau – so Bacau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bacau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,454 in Bacau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $86.0 in Bacau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $969 in Bacau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $969, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bacau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.