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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $899 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,454 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,010 in Bacau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Bacau 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$11.29 RON 51.1

5.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$45.51 RON 206

-5.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.28 RON 37.43

28.62%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.19 RON 9.93

57.53%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.18 RON 9.85

-31.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.88 RON 8.53

-49.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.23 RON 10.11

35.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.53 RON 15.97

30.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.35 RON 6.09

2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.85 RON 3.83

117.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.70 RON 7.69

-5.29%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.75 RON 16.98

-30.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.61 RON 38.96

-4.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.16 RON 27.86

35.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$9.34 RON 42.25

14.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.25 RON 5.67

110.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.57 RON 7.11

-5.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.72 RON 7.80

11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.83 RON 8.27

14.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.90 RON 4.07

106.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.87 RON 3.96

159.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.67 RON 3.02

58.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.75 RON 3.38

45.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$5.74 RON 25.98

-27.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.72 RON 30.41

54.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.92 RON 4.18

86.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.33 RON 6.03

96.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.64 RON 2.90

-15.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$31.92 RON 144

-15.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.63 RON 2.84

396.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.62 RON 2.80

304.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$7.38 RON 33.38

-57.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.60 RON 7.26

-20.63%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$27.9K RON 126.0K

9.02%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$26.2K RON 118.5K

-10.04%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$117 RON 528

-28.90%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$8.35 RON 37.78

171.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$5.17 RON 23.37

469.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$24.99 RON 113

104.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$22.58 RON 102

-18.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.59 RON 29.83

-25.19%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$644 RON 2,913

-69.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$5,313 RON 24.0K

-0.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$92.5 RON 418

-60.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$35.73 RON 162

11.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$63.1 RON 286

26.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$98.7 RON 447

-9.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$316 RON 1,432

202.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$187 RON 846

155.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$503 RON 2,276

227.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$370 RON 1,675

230.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,846 RON 8,352

112.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,248 RON 5,647

417.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,037 RON 4,693

-35.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.5

75.69%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bacau: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $316 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 56% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.00 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $197 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 41%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,348 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $46.00 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $899 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 $899, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.