Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bakau

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakau: $323 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Bakau

🇬🇲 Gambia

$323

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Bakau actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $323 in Bakau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Bakau $323

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $725 in Bakau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Bakau $725

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,127 in Bakau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,959
Bakau $1,127

Playa del Carmen costs about 272% more than Bakau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bakau are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Bakau 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$205

$5.36 GMD 397

103.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$813

$75.9 GMD 5,620

-42.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$221

$7.81 GMD 578

50.83%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.4

$3.97 GMD 294

-4.03%

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

$1.28 MX$24.03

$2.25 GMD 166

-43.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.67

$1.13 GMD 83.4

-30.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.3

$3.76 GMD 279

-15.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.5

$3.67 GMD 272

34.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.35

$2.39 GMD 177

-41.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.54

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.56

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.27

$5.14 GMD 381

-50.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$136

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$144

$16.56 GMD 1,227

-53.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$238

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$52.2

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.64

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.80

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.78

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.32

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.34

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.49

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$22.09

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.5

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$186

$13.45 GMD 997

-26.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.67

$2.01 GMD 149

-21.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$50.1

$2.78 GMD 206

-3.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$499

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$93.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.4

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$27.06

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

$20.7K MX$387.3K

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

$23.5K MX$439.7K

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

$84.8 MX$1,589

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

$23.41 MX$439

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$537

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,069

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$542

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$96.3

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

$207 MX$3,871

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$777

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,390

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,672

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,136

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$32.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.1K

$68.4 GMD 5,068

1472.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$73.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Bakau: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Bakau

–

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Bakau

–

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Bakau

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Bakau

–

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Bakau

–

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Bakau

–

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Bakau

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $76 in Bakau. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Playa del Carmen vs $170 in Bakau – so Bakau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇬🇲 Bakau

🕒 Local time

10:59 10:59 AM

15:59 3:59 PM

5 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

43,098

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Gambian Dalasi GMD D

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.34 USD

100 MXN = 4.78 EUR

100 GMD = 1.35 USD

100 GMD = 1.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GMD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.74 MXN (100 MXN = 5.34 USD). 1 EUR = 20.91 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 74.1 GMD (100 GMD = 1.35 USD). 1 EUR = 82.69 GMD (100 GMD = 1.21 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Playa del Carmen Bakau 7,470 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Bakau

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 Bakau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 272% more than Bakau, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $485 in Bakau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $323 in Bakau. That makes Bakau about 73% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Playa del Carmen, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Bakau, where all-in costs run around $323, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Bakau 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 $323 in Bakau to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.