Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bagamoyo

For one person, living is cheaper in Bagamoyo: $383 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Bagamoyo, Tanzania
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Bagamoyo
🇹🇿 Tanzania
$383
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Bagamoyo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Bagamoyo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $383 in Bagamoyo.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Bagamoyo $383

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $643 in Bagamoyo.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Bagamoyo $643

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,959 in Playa del Carmen versus $904 in Bagamoyo.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Bagamoyo $904

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 215% more expensive than in Bagamoyo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Bagamoyo 72% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Bagamoyo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$1.84 TZS 4,831
493.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$814
$11.34 TZS 29.7K
282.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$7.69 TZS 20.1K
53.19%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.5
$1.90 TZS 4,985
100.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.07
$0.33 TZS 856
287.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.70
$0.19 TZS 486
310.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$0.95 TZS 2,487
233.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$1.91 TZS 5,011
158.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Bagamoyo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.40
$0.76 TZS 1,993
85.53%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.62
$0.57 TZS 1,490
289.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.61
$0.36 TZS 956
294.44%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.36
$2.02 TZS 5,301
24.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
$9.14 TZS 23.9K
-20.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
$4.85 TZS 12.7K
58.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
$3.96 TZS 10.4K
220.45%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$2.53 TZS 6,613
9.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.68
$0.92 TZS 2,411
48.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.89
$1.03 TZS 2,686
147.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.86
$0.59 TZS 1,544
259.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.39
$0.31 TZS 816
525.81%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.41
$0.29 TZS 754
551.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.53
$0.85 TZS 2,230
35.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.13
$0.37 TZS 969
218.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.6
$2.14 TZS 5,596
100.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$7.00 TZS 18.3K
42.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.73
$0.94 TZS 2,468
68.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
$1.57 TZS 4,111
70.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Bagamoyo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.39
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.3
$1.64 TZS 4,295
203.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.5
$1.48 TZS 3,885
125.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$13.09 TZS 34.3K
-59.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.11
$1.37 TZS 3,596
5.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.0K
$16.4K TZS 43.0M
25.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$440.5K
$26.2K TZS 68.5M
-10.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Bagamoyo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,592
$56.4 TZS 147.7K
50.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$4.77 TZS 12.5K
390.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$538
$22.90 TZS 60.0K
25.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Bagamoyo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,071
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.5
$4.96 TZS 13.0K
3.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Bagamoyo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,878
$560 TZS 1.5M
-63.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.7K
$13.2K TZS 34.5M
-70.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Bagamoyo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$814
$15.73 TZS 41.2K
175.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$778
$25.76 TZS 67.5K
60.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,393
$44.02 TZS 115.3K
68.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,676
$60.0 TZS 157.0K
48.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Bagamoyo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$57.3 TZS 150.1K
1609.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,150
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$231 TZS 604.3K
640.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$111 TZS 290.7K
868.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Bagamoyo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
18.25
-37.26%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bagamoyo: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Bagamoyo
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Bagamoyo
$143 44% $112
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Bagamoyo
$71 64.8% $131
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Bagamoyo
$84 38.6% $53
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Bagamoyo
$65 41.4% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Bagamoyo
$9.9 * 85.3% $57
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Bagamoyo
$9.1 * 82% $41

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $980 in Playa del Carmen and $57 in Bagamoyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $11 in Bagamoyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $143 per month, with Bagamoyo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇹🇿 Bagamoyo
🕒 Local time
01:44 1:44 AM
09:44 9:44 AM
8 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
55,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TZS, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 2,619 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD). 1 EUR = 2,924 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.42 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Bagamoyo 14,000 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Bagamoyo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bagamoyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Bagamoyo?
Bagamoyo wins on cost – living expenses run 68% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Bagamoyo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Bagamoyo?
You’d need roughly $1,806 in Playa del Carmen and $574 in Bagamoyo 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Bagamoyo?
Rent for a central apartment: $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $57 in Bagamoyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Bagamoyo?
Childcare runs $207 in Playa del Carmen versus $560 in Bagamoyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Bagamoyo?
Dining out is cheaper in Bagamoyo – a meal for two runs $11 versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $800/month in Playa del Carmen or in Bagamoyo?
At $383 in Bagamoyo versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, a $800 budget is realistic in Bagamoyo but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bagamoyo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Playa del Carmen or Bagamoyo?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?