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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $320 in Barisal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $518 in Barisal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $717 in Barisal, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 305% more than Barisal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Barisal are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Barisal 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$199

$1.39 ৳171

742.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$791

$10.82 ৳1,325

330.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$198

$4.82 ৳590

141.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 ৳333

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 ৳584

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.5

$1.85 ৳227

121.08%

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

$1.37 MX$23.34

$0.27 ৳32.66

407.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.16

$0.13 ৳15.77

538.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.33

$0.73 ৳88.9

136.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.39

$0.60 ৳73.2

276.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.05

$0.52 ৳63.2

240.38%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.41

$1.20 ৳147

127.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$156

$6.16 ৳754

49.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$2.26 ৳277

294.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$214

$6.53 ৳800

92.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.3

$2.32 ৳284

30.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.68

$0.98 ৳120

60.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.10

$2.02 ৳248

5.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.46

$0.54 ৳66.5

318.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.04

$0.32 ৳39.46

525.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.06

$0.43 ৳52.4

379.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$20.04

$0.45 ৳54.9

162.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.45

$0.34 ৳41.65

252.94%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.73 ৳825

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 ৳451

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 ৳553

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.7

$3.19 ৳391

45.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

$0.29 ৳35.97

96.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

$12.13 ৳1,486

145.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.5

$1.31 ৳160

316.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.9

$0.39 ৳48.29

848.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

$2.90 ৳355

106.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$1.06 ৳130

46.23%

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

$22.3K MX$379.2K

$27.3K ৳3.3M

-18.27%

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

$25.9K MX$440.7K

$32.8K ৳4.0M

-20.86%

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

$89.1 MX$1,514

$20.10 ৳2,462

343.43%

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

$25.04 MX$425

$5.22 ৳640

379.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$535

$11.95 ৳1,464

163.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,151

$7.02 ৳860

865.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

$12.16 ৳1,489

137.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.8

$4.99 ৳611

1.20%

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

$225 MX$3,820

$13.60 ৳1,666

1554.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.7K

$704 ৳86.2K

500.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$806

$17.07 ৳2,091

177.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$764

$18.01 ৳2,206

149.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,392

$32.43 ৳3,973

152.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,564

$24.09 ৳2,951

282.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

$74.3 ৳9,103

1338.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,884

$53.9 ৳6,607

651.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

$132 ৳16.1K

1369.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

$85.3 ৳10.4K

1425.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

$361 ৳44.2K

1007.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

$308 ৳37.7K

2054.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$169 ৳20.7K

342.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.44

9.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Barisal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $74.3 in Barisal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 343% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Barisal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $105 – making Barisal 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 Barisal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 305%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $479 in Barisal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 146% less in Barisal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $13.60 in Barisal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Barisal, where all-in costs run around $320, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Barisal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Barisal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Barisal. 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.