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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,215 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,628 in Badalona, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,144 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,152 in Badalona, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,676 in Badalona, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 25% cheaper than Badalona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 9% below the global median, while Badalona is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 MX$197

$17.08 €15.25

-35.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.85 MX$806

$56.3 €50.2

-20.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 MX$214

$11.07 €9.88

7.68%

Cappuccino

$3.80 MX$68.4

$2.46 €2.19

54.47%

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

$1.31 MX$23.58

$2.69 €2.40

-51.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$15.39

$1.85 €1.66

-53.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$57.7

$3.45 €3.08

-6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 MX$90.1

$4.60 €4.11

8.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.21

$1.14 €1.01

28.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 MX$41.83

$2.09 €1.87

11.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.93

$1.74 €1.55

-17.24%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.25

$3.80 €3.39

-35.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$138

$14.75 €13.16

-47.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 MX$142

$8.96 €8.00

-11.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 MX$230

$15.00 €13.39

-14.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$52.4

$2.52 €2.25

15.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$25.56

$1.96 €1.75

-27.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MX$46.12

$1.59 €1.42

61.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$38.42

$2.41 €2.15

-11.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.00

$1.76 €1.57

10.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MX$34.80

$1.86 €1.66

4.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$20.69

$1.56 €1.39

-26.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$21.95

$0.62 €0.56

96.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$78.7

$7.12 €6.36

-38.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 MX$177

$5.72 €5.10

72.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$27.64

$1.01 €0.90

52.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$48.81

$2.44 €2.18

11.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.44

$1.66 €1.48

-68.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$493

$44.92 €40.10

-38.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 MX$88.3

$3.02 €2.70

62.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 MX$63.3

$1.45 €1.30

142.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MX$102

$14.32 €12.78

-60.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$27.68

$1.82 €1.63

-15.38%

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

$21.2K MX$381.8K

$35.4K €31.6K

-40.06%

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

$24.5K MX$440.2K

$30.6K €27.3K

-19.91%

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

$83.6 MX$1,503

$115 €102

-27.04%

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

$24.03 MX$432

$13.75 €12.28

74.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 MX$527

$25.42 €22.69

15.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,166

$69.2 €61.7

-6.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$530

$14.65 €13.08

101.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MX$91.4

$8.59 €7.66

-40.75%

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

$208 MX$3,733

$572 €510

-63.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$72.7K

$10.2K €9,126

-60.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.55 MX$801

$64.6 €57.7

-31.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 MX$756

$21.43 €19.13

96.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MX$1,358

$105 €94.0

-28.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,642

$120 €107

-23.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$17.7K

$1,379 €1,231

-28.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$6,924

$688 €614

-44.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$30.8K

$1,370 €1,223

25.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$19.9K

$2,462 €2,198

-54.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$72.2K

$3,597 €3,211

11.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$112.3K

$2,056 €1,836

203.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.6K

$1,905 €1,700

-60.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.3

246.97%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Badalona: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,379 in Badalona. 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 151% higher in Badalona, 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 $45.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $56.0 in Badalona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $275 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Badalona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, $1,628 in Badalona – roughly 34% apart. Badalona costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,823 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,443 in Badalona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,215 in Playa del Carmen and $1,628 in Badalona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 64% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,215, than in Badalona at $1,628. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Badalona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,215 in Playa del Carmen to $1,628 in Badalona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Badalona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.