Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Barnstable, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Barnstable, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,332 in Barnstable, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,481 in Barnstable, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,341 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,629 in Barnstable, MA.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 43% less than in Barnstable, MA, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Barnstable, MA is 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$17.80 $17.80

-26.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$76.1 $76.1

-39.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$10.09 $10.09

24.78%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$3.92 $3.92

2.04%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$2.12 $2.12

-33.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$1.64 $1.64

-50.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$4.90 $4.90

-37.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$6.91 $6.91

-1.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.04 $1.04

64.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$2.90 $2.90

-23.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$4.23 $4.23

-59.34%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$4.32 $4.32

-37.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$6.50 $6.50

44.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$9.04 $9.04

-1.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$8.87 $8.87

44.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$4.26 $4.26

-26.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.71 $1.71

-9.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$4.51 $4.51

-52.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$3.45 $3.45

-31.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$2.14 $2.14

-5.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$2.19 $2.19

-9.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$1.95 $1.95

-36.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$2.46 $2.46

-51.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$12.45 $12.45

-62.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$12.92 $12.92

-18.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$2.06 $2.06

-23.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$3.97 $3.97

-26.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$1.99 $1.99

-71.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$34.35 $34.35

-13.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$3.46 $3.46

53.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$3.71 $3.71

0.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$26.29 $26.29

-78.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$0.95 $0.95

63.16%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$37.5K $37.5K

-40.39%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$24.3K $24.3K

5.40%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$99.0 $99.0

-9.85%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$60.4 $60.4

-61.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$63.8 $63.8

-50.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$41.37 $41.37

66.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$24.44 $24.44

20.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$14.25 $14.25

-64.49%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$1,821 $1,821

-87.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$29.5K $29.5K

-85.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$57.2 $57.2

-19.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$38.59 $38.59

15.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$80.1 $80.1

19.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$99.0 $99.0

-6.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,552 $1,552

-31.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$1,273 $1,273

-69.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$2,506 $2,506

-20.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$2,166 $2,166

-39.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$2,717 $2,717

48.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$2,333 $2,333

184.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$4,571 $4,571

-83.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

6.04

92.05%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Barnstable, MA: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $1,552 in Barnstable, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barnstable, MA pays 512% 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: $46.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $76.0 in Barnstable, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $324 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 Barnstable, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Barnstable, MA differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($1,330 vs $2,332 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 512% lower in Barnstable, MA. 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,552 in Barnstable, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 15% less than in Barnstable, MA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $222 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,821 in Barnstable, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,332 in Barnstable, MA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Barnstable, MA. 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.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Barnstable, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.