Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bahia de Caraquez Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bahia de Caraquez

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $942 in Bahia de Caraquez, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,457 in Bahia de Caraquez, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,971 in Bahia de Caraquez, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 37% more than Bahia de Caraquez, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bahia de Caraquez are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Bahia de Caraquez 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$3.42 $3.42

249.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$47.84 $47.84

-10.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$8.09 $8.09

30.90%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.63 $2.63

37.64%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.85 $0.85

72.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.63 $0.63

49.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$2.96 $2.96

4.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$4.62 $4.62

-3.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.13 $1.13

26.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.72 $1.72

9.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.76 $1.76

-7.39%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$2.50 $2.50

5.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$6.18 $6.18

32.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$5.16 $5.16

60.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$6.42 $6.42

72.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$2.13 $2.13

24.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.06 $1.06

41.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.10 $1.10

80.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.08 $1.08

92.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.89 $1.89

-5.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.45 $1.45

50.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.68 $0.68

58.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.98 $0.98

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$5.87 $5.87

-32.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$11.86 $11.86

-14.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.63 $1.63

6.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.13 $2.13

17.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.36 $0.36

44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$23.80 $23.80

13.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$2.81 $2.81

11.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$1.02 $1.02

135.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$10.05 $10.05

-69.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$0.67 $0.67

89.55%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$25.4K $25.4K

21.46%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$28.8K $28.8K

-19.06%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$38.08 $38.08

115.36%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$13.81 $13.81

62.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$31.69 $31.69

-6.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$29.99 $29.99

72.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$14.69 $14.69

27.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$7.81 $7.81

-36.36%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$317 $317

-37.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$5,931 $5,931

-11.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$53.1 $53.1

-31.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$43.91 $43.91

-8.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$104 $104

-23.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$112 $112

-20.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$342 $342

181.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$311 $311

49.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$631 $631

153.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$499 $499

142.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$1,320 $1,320

198.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$933 $933

591.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.35

22.14%

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 Bahia de Caraquez: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $342 in Bahia de Caraquez. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Bahia de Caraquez. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $195 in Bahia de Caraquez – so Bahia de Caraquez wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bahia de Caraquez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $942 in Bahia de Caraquez – roughly 37% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,413 in Bahia de Caraquez. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bahia de Caraquez, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $317 in Bahia de Caraquez. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bahia de Caraquez, where all-in costs run around $942, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Bahia de Caraquez it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen 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 $942 in Bahia de Caraquez to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Bahia de Caraquez. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.