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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $673 in Bacong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,103 in Bacong, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,532 in Bacong, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 91% more than Bacong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bacong are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Bacong 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.67 ₱165

347.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$21.33 ₱1,315

100.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.65 ₱225

190.14%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.04 ₱126

77.45%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.57 ₱35.28

157.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.30 ₱18.35

213.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$0.94 ₱58.2

228.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.73 ₱107

157.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.84 ₱114

-22.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.20 ₱74.3

56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.95 ₱58.8

71.58%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.26 ₱139

16.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$5.75 ₱354

42.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.25 ₱262

95.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.09 ₱437

56.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.77 ₱232

-29.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.19 ₱73.3

26.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.37 ₱208

-40.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.55 ₱95.8

34.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.56 ₱158

-30.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$3.14 ₱194

-30.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.68 ₱104

-35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.90 ₱55.8

15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.15 ₱194

26.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.76 ₱417

50.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.34 ₱82.9

29.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.45 ₱89.5

72.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.26 ₱15.99

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.72 ₱44.57

336.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.23 ₱14.10

943.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.58 ₱159

19.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.03 ₱63.5

23.30%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$23.5K ₱1.4M

31.56%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$19.2K ₱1.2M

21.21%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$55.9 ₱3,450

46.63%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$30.59 ₱1,887

-26.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$30.34 ₱1,871

-2.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$33.30 ₱2,054

55.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$4.55 ₱280

310.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.28 ₱326

-5.87%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$34.84 ₱2,149

467.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,279 ₱263.9K

23.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$45.23 ₱2,790

-19.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$23.05 ₱1,421

73.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$61.9 ₱3,818

29.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$26.94 ₱1,662

229.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$167 ₱10.3K

475.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$174 ₱10.7K

167.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$579 ₱35.7K

175.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$395 ₱24.3K

206.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,215 ₱136.6K

77.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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 Bacong: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $167 in Bacong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Bacong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $205 – making Bacong the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bacong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 91%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,010 in Bacong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $673 in Bacong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $34.84 in Bacong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacong, where all-in costs run around $673, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Bacong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Bacong. 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.