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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $794 in Bacoor, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,200 in Bacoor, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,606 in Bacoor, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 62% more than Bacoor, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bacoor are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Bacoor 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.63 ₱224

228.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$13.13 ₱810

225.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$2.61 ₱161

305.75%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.35 ₱145

54.04%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.64 ₱39.47

129.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.34 ₱21.10

176.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.25 ₱77.1

147.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.98 ₱122

125.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.91 ₱118

-25.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.24 ₱76.7

51.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.06 ₱65.3

53.77%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.04 ₱126

29.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.06 ₱435

16.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.90 ₱241

112.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.22 ₱445

53.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.66 ₱164

-0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.55 ₱95.4

-3.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.28 ₱141

-12.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.22 ₱75.5

70.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.82 ₱112

-1.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.20 ₱135

-0.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.68 ₱41.78

58.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.77 ₱47.73

35.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.24 ₱200

22.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.61 ₱469

34.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.07 ₱65.7

61.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.97 ₱122

26.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.28 ₱17.40

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.78 ₱48.14

302.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.24 ₱14.83

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.15 ₱133

43.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.16 ₱71.3

9.48%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$25.6K ₱1.6M

20.76%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

14.14%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$148 ₱9,148

-44.71%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$33.36 ₱2,057

-32.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$26.11 ₱1,611

13.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$33.80 ₱2,085

53.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$4.41 ₱272

323.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.66 ₱349

-12.19%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$81.1 ₱5,001

143.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,757 ₱170.0K

91.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$31.57 ₱1,947

15.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$27.45 ₱1,693

45.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$75.8 ₱4,677

5.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$45.64 ₱2,815

94.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$261 ₱16.1K

268.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$173 ₱10.7K

167.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$580 ₱35.8K

175.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$395 ₱24.4K

205.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,227 ₱137.4K

76.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$299 ₱18.4K

141.22%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Bacoor: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $261 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 141% 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: $251 vs $190 – 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 62%, 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 $1,191 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 $794, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.