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 $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,036 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,583 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,131 in Barlad, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 21% 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 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$9.37 RON 42.97

27.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$730

$45.54 RON 209

-7.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$181

$8.11 RON 37.22

28.48%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.2

$2.69 RON 12.34

30.48%

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

$1.52 MX$26.39

$1.95 RON 8.94

-22.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.84

$1.68 RON 7.70

-45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.9

$2.25 RON 10.33

35.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.1

$2.69 RON 12.32

62.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.73

$1.55 RON 7.10

-8.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.87

$1.24 RON 5.68

47.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.45

$1.67 RON 7.68

-2.40%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.20

$3.38 RON 15.52

-24.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$8.34 RON 38.28

2.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$6.72 RON 30.83

26.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$10.44 RON 47.89

3.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$47.94

$1.18 RON 5.42

133.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.00

$1.60 RON 7.34

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.83

$1.61 RON 7.38

17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.77

$2.01 RON 9.21

7.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.97

$0.89 RON 4.10

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.71

$0.99 RON 4.56

124.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.60

$0.87 RON 3.99

22.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.79

$0.77 RON 3.54

40.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.2

$5.90 RON 27.04

-29.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$7.17 RON 32.91

45.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.34

$1.08 RON 4.94

61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.92

$1.65 RON 7.55

56.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.94

$0.72 RON 3.28

-29.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

$19.86 RON 91.1

30.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$55.9

$0.78 RON 3.56

311.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.55

$0.70 RON 3.22

257.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.4

$6.88 RON 31.55

-53.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.87

$1.59 RON 7.31

-20.75%

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

$29.7K MX$516.6K

$28.1K RON 128.7K

5.82%

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

$23.7K MX$412.1K

$27.3K RON 125.5K

-13.40%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$151 RON 692

-45.63%

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

$22.73 MX$395

$8.30 RON 38.09

173.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$512

$8.94 RON 41.01

229.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$908

$40.77 RON 187

28.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

$19.45 RON 89.2

-5.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.9

$7.06 RON 32.37

-30.17%

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

$202 MX$3,511

$433 RON 1,988

-53.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$90.8K

$6,858 RON 31.5K

-23.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$625

$67.4 RON 309

-46.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$38.67 RON 177

4.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$75.3 RON 345

6.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,554

$91.7 RON 421

-2.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$391 RON 1,796

142.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,097

$287 RON 1,315

62.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$591 RON 2,709

176.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$443 RON 2,031

169.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.4K

$1,722 RON 7,901

128.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$111.9K

$1,423 RON 6,530

351.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Barlad: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $391 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.00 in Barlad. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $210 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: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, $1,036 in Barlad – roughly 21% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,554 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 31% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $433 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 $1,036, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. 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 $1,036 in Barlad to $1,259 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.