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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $764 in Bago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,200 in Bago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,636 in Bago.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 68% more expensive than Bago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Bago 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.50 ₱216

241.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$17.75 ₱1,095

140.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.39 ₱209

212.39%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.44 ₱150

48.36%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.82 ₱50.6

79.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.40 ₱24.56

135.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.30 ₱80.4

137.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.19 ₱135

103.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.91 ₱118

-25.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.21 ₱74.9

55.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.95 ₱58.9

71.58%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.00 ₱123

32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.79 ₱481

5.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.18 ₱258

98.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.55 ₱465

47.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.84 ₱175

-6.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.54 ₱95.3

-2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.72 ₱168

-26.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.54 ₱95.0

35.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.32 ₱143

-22.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.62 ₱162

-16.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.12 ₱68.9

-3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.72 ₱44.57

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.88 ₱178

37.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.84 ₱545

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.17 ₱72.1

47.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.07 ₱127

20.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.26 ₱15.93

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.77 ₱47.61

307.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.24 ₱14.86

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.14 ₱132

44.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.11 ₱68.4

14.41%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$26.2K ₱1.6M

17.79%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

14.35%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$111 ₱6,873

-26.40%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$33.24 ₱2,050

-32.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$27.26 ₱1,682

8.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$33.99 ₱2,096

52.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$4.33 ₱267

331.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.09 ₱375

-18.39%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$154 ₱9,518

28.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,293 ₱264.8K

22.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$46.12 ₱2,845

-21.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$26.37 ₱1,627

51.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$74.2 ₱4,576

7.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$53.5 ₱3,303

66.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$265 ₱16.3K

264.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$180 ₱11.1K

158.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$581 ₱35.8K

174.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$401 ₱24.7K

201.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,434 ₱150.1K

61.97%

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

6.67

71.21%

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 Bago: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $265 in Bago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $18.00 in Bago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $205 per month, with Bago cheaper across the board.

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 Bago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bago is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $1,145 in Bago 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 $265 in Bago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $154 in Bago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bago – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $764 in Bago versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bago but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bago is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Bago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.