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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,811 in Barbados.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,098 in Barbados.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,386 in Barbados.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 28% less than in Barbados, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Barbados is 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$25.44 BBD 50.9

-52.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$113 BBD 226

-58.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$12.59 BBD 25.17

-6.67%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.1

$4.66 BBD 9.32

-11.59%

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

$1.40 MX$23.78

$2.17 BBD 4.34

-35.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$1.77 BBD 3.53

-48.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$3.04 BBD 6.08

5.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.12 BBD 8.23

71.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.49

$3.60 BBD 7.19

-53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$2.69 BBD 5.38

-20.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$4.03 BBD 8.07

-56.08%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.83

$5.88 BBD 11.75

-52.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$6.50 BBD 13.01

41.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$10.14 BBD 20.27

-8.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$11.28 BBD 22.56

12.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$4.97 BBD 9.94

-40.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.83

$4.29 BBD 8.58

-63.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$5.52 BBD 11.03

-59.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.15

$5.69 BBD 11.38

-58.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.86

$6.93 BBD 13.86

-71.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.63

$4.81 BBD 9.61

-58.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$2.67 BBD 5.35

-53.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$2.68 BBD 5.37

-54.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$6.82 BBD 13.64

-32.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$15.93 BBD 31.85

-33.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$1.72 BBD 3.44

-1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$2.94 BBD 5.87

-5.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

$1.73 BBD 3.46

-65.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$4.98 BBD 9.97

5.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$3.38 BBD 6.76

7.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$1.97 BBD 3.95

-21.83%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$49.8K BBD 99.5K

-54.19%

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

$40.7K BBD 81.4K

-36.54%

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$98.7 BBD 197

-8.11%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$49.27 BBD 98.5

-48.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$87.3 BBD 175

-63.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

$74.9 BBD 150

-8.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

$8.69 BBD 17.38

-44.07%

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

$226 MX$3,834

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$46.44 BBD 92.9

2.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$19.61 BBD 39.23

121.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$61.4 BBD 123

30.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$674 BBD 1,347

61.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

$654 BBD 1,308

-37.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,861 BBD 3,723

5.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

$3,465 BBD 6,929

-63.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,326 BBD 2,652

-41.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Barbados: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $674 in Barbados. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 71% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $113 in Barbados for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $427 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 39% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $1,811 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 71% lower in Barbados. 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $674 in Barbados. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $113 in Barbados. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,811 in Barbados – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,811 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 39% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.