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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $675 in Bakuriani, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,116 in Bakuriani, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,556 in Bakuriani, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 88% more than Bakuriani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bakuriani are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Bakuriani 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$10.54 ₾27.40

10.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$31.96 ₾83.0

47.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$9.47 ₾24.61

25.45%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.45 ₾8.97

15.36%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.04 ₾2.70

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.60 ₾1.56

36.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.71 ₾4.44

86.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.29 ₾5.95

196.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.04 ₾5.30

-17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.71 ₾1.84

209.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.60 ₾4.15

6.87%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.61 ₾6.78

4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$9.57 ₾24.87

0.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.32 ₾16.41

42.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$9.72 ₾25.25

31.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.40 ₾3.63

106.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.05 ₾5.32

-26.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.29 ₾3.35

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.15 ₾5.59

5.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.90 ₾2.33

120.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.58 ₾1.52

243.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.53 ₾3.98

-19.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.77 ₾2.00

55.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.07 ₾7.97

48.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$5.71 ₾14.85

81.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.48 ₾3.85

9.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.05 ₾5.33

40.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.13 ₾2.93

376.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.68 ₾1.77

448.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$11.87 ₾30.85

-51.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.39 ₾3.61

10.79%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$15.8K ₾41.0K

42.83%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$20.6K ₾53.5K

26.64%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$77.7 ₾202

17.65%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$9.05 ₾23.51

178.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$15.92 ₾41.38

96.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$6.94 ₾18.03

-29.97%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$295 ₾766

-24.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$3,373 ₾8,765

25.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$92.1 ₾239

-48.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$39.09 ₾102

13.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$131 ₾341

-38.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$114 ₾296

-18.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

12.55

-8.76%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bakuriani: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $32.00 in Bakuriani. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $211 – making Bakuriani the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bakuriani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 88% more than Bakuriani, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,013 in Bakuriani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $675 in Bakuriani. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $295 in Bakuriani. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bakuriani, where all-in costs run around $675, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Bakuriani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bakuriani costs $675 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bakuriani. 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.