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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,024 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,576 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,129 in Barlad, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Barlad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Barlad are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Barlad 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$9.70 RON 42.10

20.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$45.51 RON 198

-7.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$7.98 RON 34.64

30.33%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.64 RON 11.47

36.74%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$2.00 RON 8.70

-26.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$1.76 RON 7.63

-48.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.27 RON 9.87

33.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$2.74 RON 11.88

63.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.54 RON 6.67

-10.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.23 RON 5.33

49.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.73 RON 7.53

-6.94%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$3.39 RON 14.70

-24.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$8.67 RON 37.63

-2.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$6.76 RON 29.33

25.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$10.20 RON 44.27

7.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$1.13 RON 4.92

141.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.54 RON 6.69

-2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.60 RON 6.96

22.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.93 RON 8.36

9.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.83 RON 3.59

124.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.97 RON 4.21

123.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.87 RON 3.77

22.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.77 RON 3.33

36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$5.76 RON 25.01

-27.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$7.89 RON 34.26

30.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.07 RON 4.63

56.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$1.71 RON 7.40

45.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.70 RON 3.04

-22.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$19.64 RON 85.2

33.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.71 RON 3.09

336.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.73 RON 3.19

236.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$6.81 RON 29.57

-52.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.53 RON 6.65

-17.65%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$28.3K RON 122.8K

6.58%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$27.2K RON 118.2K

-13.90%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$152 RON 659

-44.68%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$7.89 RON 34.24

181.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$9.04 RON 39.25

227.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$41.38 RON 180

27.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$19.08 RON 82.8

-3.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$6.87 RON 29.81

-27.95%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$424 RON 1,840

-53.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$7,014 RON 30.4K

-24.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$67.3 RON 292

-46.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$38.54 RON 167

3.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$75.4 RON 327

4.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$93.8 RON 407

-7.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$393 RON 1,705

148.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$295 RON 1,280

59.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$578 RON 2,510

175.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$445 RON 1,933

172.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$2,024 RON 8,782

99.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$1,552 RON 6,737

323.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.56

74.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Barlad: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $393 in Barlad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $46 in Barlad. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $211 in Barlad – so Barlad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Barlad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, $1,024 in Barlad – roughly 23% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,535 in Barlad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 34% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $424 in Barlad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barlad, where all-in costs run around $1,024, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Barlad 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 $1,024 in Barlad to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Barlad. 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.