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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,961 in Barbados.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,190 in Barbados.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,418 in Barbados.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 35% less than in Barbados, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Barbados is 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$19.86 BBD 39.72

-40.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$111 BBD 223

-61.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$10.33 BBD 20.65

3.10%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.47 BBD 8.93

-22.82%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.06 BBD 4.11

-27.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.48 BBD 2.97

-35.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.95 BBD 5.90

2.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.06 BBD 8.13

13.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$3.49 BBD 6.97

-60.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.61 BBD 5.22

-29.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$4.59 BBD 9.18

-64.92%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$5.85 BBD 11.71

-55.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.85 BBD 13.69

20.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$13.03 BBD 26.07

-35.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$10.33 BBD 20.65

3.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$4.72 BBD 9.45

-44.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$3.18 BBD 6.36

-53.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$5.44 BBD 10.87

-64.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$5.25 BBD 10.49

-60.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$5.51 BBD 11.02

-66.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$4.90 BBD 9.81

-53.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.82 BBD 5.64

-62.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$3.06 BBD 6.13

-64.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$7.32 BBD 14.63

-43.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$15.84 BBD 31.68

-34.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.75 BBD 3.51

-1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.76 BBD 5.52

-5.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.73 BBD 3.46

-68.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$6.22 BBD 12.45

-49.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$3.49 BBD 6.97

-28.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$22.11 BBD 44.21

-85.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.99 BBD 3.98

-36.18%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$50.6K BBD 101.2K

-39.98%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$39.9K BBD 79.8K

-40.94%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$194 BBD 388

-57.26%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$49.35 BBD 98.7

-53.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$87.9 BBD 176

-66.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$72.3 BBD 145

-29.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$10.05 BBD 20.10

-50.95%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$265 BBD 529

-25.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$55.7 BBD 111

-33.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$28.59 BBD 57.2

39.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$89.2 BBD 178

-10.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$55.9 BBD 112

60.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$673 BBD 1,346

42.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$679 BBD 1,359

-29.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$2,140 BBD 4,280

-23.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,403 BBD 2,806

-12.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,315 BBD 2,630

-49.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.4

54.32%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Barbados: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $673 in Barbados. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 97% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $111 in Barbados for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $430 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Barbados: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Barbados differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($1,271 vs $1,961 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barbados earns 97% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $673 in Barbados. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,961 in Barbados – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,961 in Barbados, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Barbados. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Barbados are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.