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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $882 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,466 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,051 in Bacau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 43% 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 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$11.69 RON 53.1

0.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$46.62 RON 212

-10.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.10 RON 36.84

29.75%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.24 RON 10.17

60.27%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.10 RON 9.53

-28.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.90 RON 8.62

-51.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.26 RON 10.27

30.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.66 RON 16.65

20.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.33 RON 6.04

5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.90 RON 4.10

108.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.70 RON 7.72

-8.24%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.72 RON 16.90

-29.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.56 RON 38.90

-2.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.24 RON 28.35

33.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$9.07 RON 41.25

19.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.27 RON 5.76

113.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.60 RON 7.27

-5.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.64 RON 7.46

14.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.87 RON 8.48

17.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.96 RON 4.38

93.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.82 RON 3.72

171.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.71 RON 3.24

50.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.77 RON 3.50

41.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$5.87 RON 26.70

-28.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.61 RON 30.05

57.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.92 RON 4.19

80.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.29 RON 5.88

102.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.63 RON 2.89

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$32.33 RON 147

-19.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.61 RON 2.77

404.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.62 RON 2.82

287.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$7.74 RON 35.20

-59.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.60 RON 7.29

-18.13%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$28.6K RON 129.8K

4.37%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$26.1K RON 118.6K

-10.60%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$117 RON 530

-30.23%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$8.43 RON 38.33

167.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$5.06 RON 22.99

493.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$25.75 RON 117

105.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$22.93 RON 104

-19.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.56 RON 29.84

-25.00%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$657 RON 2,985

-69.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$5,489 RON 25.0K

-5.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$93.3 RON 424

-61.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$35.15 RON 160

14.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$63.7 RON 290

25.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$95.6 RON 435

-9.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$316 RON 1,438

209.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$181 RON 823

160.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$512 RON 2,328

222.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$369 RON 1,678

226.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,889 RON 8,588

109.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,250 RON 5,684

428.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$1,021 RON 4,642

-33.74%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bacau: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 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 51% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $47.00 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $252 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 43%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,323 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 $42.00 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $882 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 $882, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.