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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $886 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,475 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,063 in Bacau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 45% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Bacau 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$11.62 RON 50.7

2.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$46.60 RON 203

-8.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.13 RON 35.44

30.26%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.27 RON 9.91

59.47%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.14 RON 9.31

-31.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.82 RON 7.94

-48.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.28 RON 9.93

35.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.53 RON 15.41

26.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.38 RON 6.03

3.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.85 RON 3.71

121.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.71 RON 7.45

-4.68%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.66 RON 15.96

-27.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.60 RON 37.49

-4.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.43 RON 28.02

28.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$9.15 RON 39.91

21.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.22 RON 5.31

117.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.62 RON 7.07

-7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.68 RON 7.31

18.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.84 RON 8.01

13.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.96 RON 4.18

86.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.89 RON 3.89

144.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.72 RON 3.15

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.79 RON 3.46

31.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$5.86 RON 25.56

-32.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.03 RON 30.64

45.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.94 RON 4.09

84.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.28 RON 5.59

95.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.65 RON 2.81

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$32.34 RON 141

-16.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.63 RON 2.73

398.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.65 RON 2.84

269.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$7.44 RON 32.45

-58.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.53 RON 6.66

-16.99%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$28.4K RON 123.9K

8.66%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$26.2K RON 114.4K

-11.11%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$114 RON 499

-28.29%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$8.38 RON 36.55

167.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$5.07 RON 22.12

485.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$25.14 RON 110

106.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$23.01 RON 100

-18.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.49 RON 28.30

-23.42%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$643 RON 2,805

-69.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$5,453 RON 23.8K

-3.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$93.0 RON 405

-60.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$34.45 RON 150

16.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$62.4 RON 272

28.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$95.9 RON 418

-7.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$326 RON 1,423

195.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$182 RON 794

155.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$502 RON 2,190

217.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$361 RON 1,575

234.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,930 RON 8,416

104.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,279 RON 5,578

404.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$1,060 RON 4,620

-32.01%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Bacau: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $326 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 47% 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 $47.00 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $199 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 45%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,329 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 $47.00 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $886 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 $886, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.