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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $71.6 in Bafoussam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $98.0 in Bafoussam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $125 in Bafoussam.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 1698% more expensive than Bafoussam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Bafoussam 95% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

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

$22.45 MX$393

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$106 FCFA 59.5K

808.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$71.7 FCFA 40.2K

548.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$266 FCFA 149.0K

500.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$122 FCFA 68.4K

890.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Bafoussam: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $106 in Bafoussam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 Bafoussam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bafoussam wins on cost – living expenses run 1698% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bafoussam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $107 in Bafoussam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $106 in Bafoussam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

At $71.6 in Bafoussam versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bafoussam but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bafoussam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bafoussam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $71.6 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bafoussam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Bafoussam are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bafoussam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1698% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.