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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $771 in Bacoor, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,163 in Bacoor, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,554 in Bacoor, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 65% 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 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.64 ₱221

226.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$13.17 ₱800

225.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$2.73 ₱166

290.11%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.45 ₱149

40.82%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.66 ₱39.96

127.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.38 ₱22.82

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.25 ₱76.1

142.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.90 ₱115

142.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.90 ₱115

-27.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.20 ₱72.6

54.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.07 ₱64.9

50.47%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.96 ₱119

32.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.12 ₱433

16.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.73 ₱227

124.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.38 ₱448

44.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.76 ₱168

-4.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.60 ₱97.1

-6.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.37 ₱144

-18.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.22 ₱74.0

71.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.83 ₱111

1.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.23 ₱136

1.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.72 ₱43.50

47.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.72 ₱43.72

51.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.24 ₱197

28.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$7.27 ₱441

42.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.02 ₱61.9

68.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.95 ₱118

33.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.28 ₱17.20

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.76 ₱46.31

311.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.24 ₱14.58

945.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.12 ₱129

48.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.16 ₱70.2

9.48%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$25.5K ₱1.5M

19.06%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.6K ₱1.3M

14.12%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$150 ₱9,106

-44.66%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$33.24 ₱2,019

-31.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$26.06 ₱1,582

13.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$34.60 ₱2,101

47.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$4.34 ₱263

322.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.73 ₱348

-13.96%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$81.6 ₱4,953

141.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,759 ₱167.5K

91.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$32.03 ₱1,945

15.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$27.88 ₱1,693

43.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$75.6 ₱4,591

5.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$45.61 ₱2,769

96.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$265 ₱16.1K

261.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$179 ₱10.9K

165.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$588 ₱35.7K

180.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$396 ₱24.0K

209.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,353 ₱142.9K

66.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,034 ₱62.8K

524.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$302 ₱18.4K

120.56%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bacoor: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $265 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 121% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Bacoor. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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 65%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,157 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 $43.00 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 32% 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 $771, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.