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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $792 in Bacoor, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,195 in Bacoor, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,599 in Bacoor, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 59% more than Bacoor, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bacoor are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Bacoor 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.65 ₱224

221.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$13.33 ₱816

214.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$2.64 ₱162

298.11%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.39 ₱147

50.21%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.66 ₱40.32

128.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.38 ₱23.08

142.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.27 ₱77.7

133.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.89 ₱116

133.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.83 ₱112

-23.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.25 ₱76.7

50.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.08 ₱65.8

44.44%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.96 ₱120

33.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$6.86 ₱420

21.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.73 ₱228

123.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.38 ₱452

47.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.74 ₱167

-1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.52 ₱93.2

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.33 ₱143

-19.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.17 ₱71.4

87.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.84 ₱112

1.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.31 ₱142

-3.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.68 ₱41.70

57.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.77 ₱47.04

41.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.22 ₱197

30.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$7.71 ₱472

35.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.03 ₱63.2

61.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.96 ₱120

33.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.28 ₱17.24

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.77 ₱47.12

300.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.24 ₱14.71

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.16 ₱132

44.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.11 ₱67.9

18.02%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.1K ₱1.6M

14.31%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

12.18%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$148 ₱9,081

-45.21%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$33.20 ₱2,032

-32.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$26.75 ₱1,637

12.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$34.09 ₱2,087

55.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.47 ₱274

311.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.65 ₱346

-12.92%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$80.0 ₱4,898

150.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$2,808 ₱171.9K

84.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$31.93 ₱1,955

12.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$27.98 ₱1,712

43.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$74.5 ₱4,561

6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$47.19 ₱2,889

83.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$268 ₱16.4K

265.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$176 ₱10.8K

166.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$584 ₱35.8K

182.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$397 ₱24.3K

203.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,346 ₱143.6K

68.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,082 ₱66.2K

510.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$305 ₱18.7K

121.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.5

153.78%

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 Bacoor: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $268 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 122% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Bacoor. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $189 – 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 59%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,188 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $13.00 in Bacoor. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacoor, where all-in costs run around $792, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.