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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $771 in Bago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,219 in Bago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,668 in Bago.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 63% more expensive than in Bago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Bago 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$3.47 ₱213

237.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$17.77 ₱1,091

135.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$3.33 ₱204

215.62%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.42 ₱149

48.35%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.84 ₱51.5

79.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.39 ₱24.20

135.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.31 ₱80.5

125.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.12 ₱130

108.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.85 ₱113

-24.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.28 ₱78.3

46.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.00 ₱61.2

56.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.09 ₱129

24.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$8.25 ₱507

0.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$4.29 ₱263

94.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$7.62 ₱468

42.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.87 ₱176

-5.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.54 ₱94.8

-1.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$2.68 ₱165

-30.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.60 ₱98.2

36.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$2.29 ₱141

-18.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$2.61 ₱160

-14.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.12 ₱68.5

-4.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.77 ₱47.14

41.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.79 ₱171

50.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$8.03 ₱493

29.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.19 ₱73.2

39.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$1.99 ₱122

31.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.26 ₱15.75

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.83 ₱51.2

271.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.24 ₱14.75

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$2.19 ₱135

42.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.13 ₱69.7

15.93%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$26.4K ₱1.6M

12.94%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$20.6K ₱1.3M

13.16%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$111 ₱6,785

-26.45%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$32.66 ₱2,006

-30.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$27.27 ₱1,674

10.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$33.81 ₱2,076

56.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$4.36 ₱268

321.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$5.78 ₱355

-14.88%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$152 ₱9,350

31.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$4,234 ₱260.0K

22.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$46.45 ₱2,852

-22.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$26.93 ₱1,653

49.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$75.4 ₱4,627

5.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$54.0 ₱3,313

60.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$269 ₱16.5K

263.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$179 ₱11.0K

162.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$588 ₱36.1K

180.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$390 ₱24.0K

208.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$2,081 ₱127.8K

89.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$931 ₱57.1K

609.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bago: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $269 in Bago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $18.00 in Bago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $207 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 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $1,157 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $269 in Bago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $152 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $771 in Bago versus $1,260 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 63% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.