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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $743 in Bacoor, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,104 in Bacoor, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,465 in Bacoor, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 70% more than Bacoor, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bacoor are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Bacoor 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.35 ₱273

166.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$16.66 ₱1,047

182.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$2.77 ₱174

328.88%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.23 ₱140

78.48%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.60 ₱37.77

138.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.29 ₱18.35

182.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.01 ₱63.7

215.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.36 ₱148

187.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.69 ₱106

-0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.11 ₱70.0

98.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.90 ₱56.4

90.00%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.80 ₱113

52.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.17 ₱325

85.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.45 ₱217

161.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.21 ₱453

77.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.32 ₱146

24.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.36 ₱85.5

10.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.40 ₱151

-10.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.07 ₱67.5

111.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.69 ₱106

17.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.73 ₱109

15.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.62 ₱39.03

98.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.50 ₱31.39

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.75 ₱173

65.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.51 ₱472

38.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.98 ₱61.7

65.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.78 ₱112

61.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.24 ₱14.88

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$10.76 ₱676

167.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.77 ₱48.49

600.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.23 ₱14.47

1521.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$1.96 ₱123

194.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.13 ₱70.8

36.28%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$21.5K ₱1.4M

4.89%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$18.6K ₱1.2M

39.87%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$141 ₱8,833

-35.00%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$14.43 ₱906

74.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$23.32 ₱1,465

33.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$28.30 ₱1,778

137.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$5.37 ₱337

442.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$5.28 ₱332

-7.95%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$72.1 ₱4,529

210.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$2,478 ₱155.7K

70.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$28.93 ₱1,818

62.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$19.66 ₱1,235

125.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$72.9 ₱4,578

9.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$56.7 ₱3,564

63.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$258 ₱16.2K

311.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$173 ₱10.9K

124.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$442 ₱27.8K

385.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$354 ₱22.2K

259.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,220 ₱139.5K

80.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,078 ₱67.7K

502.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$296 ₱18.6K

155.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.75

69.63%

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 Bacoor: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $258 in Bacoor. 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 156% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.00 in Bacoor. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $168 – making Bacoor 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 Bacoor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 70%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,114 in Bacoor. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 64% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $17.00 in Bacoor. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacoor, where all-in costs run around $743, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Bacoor it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacoor – 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 Bacoor. 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.