Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,215 a month against $2,367 in Barnstable, MA, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
115

Cost of Living Index in Barnstable, MA
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Barnstable, MA Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,215

/mo nomad

Barnstable, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,367

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Barnstable, MA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Barnstable, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,215 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,367 in Barnstable, MA.

Playa del Carmen $1,215
Barnstable, MA $2,367

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,144 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,555 in Barnstable, MA.

Playa del Carmen $2,144
Barnstable, MA $3,555

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,072 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,743 in Barnstable, MA.

Playa del Carmen $3,072
Barnstable, MA $4,743

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 49% less than in Barnstable, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 9% below, Barnstable, MA is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 MX$201

$18.12 $18.12

-39.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.85 MX$823

$74.4 $74.4

-39.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 MX$219

$9.84 $9.84

21.14%

Cappuccino

$3.80 MX$69.9

$3.92 $3.92

-3.06%

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

$1.31 MX$24.08

$2.18 $2.18

-39.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$15.72

$1.74 $1.74

-50.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$59.0

$5.15 $5.15

-37.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 MX$92.0

$6.63 $6.63

-24.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.77

$1.05 $1.05

39.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 MX$42.72

$2.94 $2.94

-20.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MX$26.48

$4.20 $4.20

-65.71%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$45.20

$4.18 $4.18

-41.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$141

$6.44 $6.44

19.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 MX$145

$9.05 $9.05

-12.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 MX$235

$8.57 $8.57

49.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$53.6

$4.28 $4.28

-31.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.11

$1.71 $1.71

-16.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MX$47.10

$4.36 $4.36

-41.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$39.24

$3.43 $3.43

-37.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.75

$2.13 $2.13

-8.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MX$35.55

$2.22 $2.22

-12.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.13

$2.01 $2.01

-42.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$22.42

$2.54 $2.54

-51.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$80.3

$12.28 $12.28

-64.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 MX$181

$13.09 $13.09

-24.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$28.23

$2.15 $2.15

-28.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$49.86

$3.90 $3.90

-30.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.64

$1.97 $1.97

-73.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$503

$34.39 $34.39

-20.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 MX$90.2

$3.59 $3.59

36.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 MX$64.7

$3.76 $3.76

-6.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MX$104

$25.84 $25.84

-77.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$28.27

$1.08 $1.08

42.59%

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

$21.2K MX$389.9K

$37.3K $37.3K

-43.00%

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

$24.5K MX$449.6K

$23.9K $23.9K

2.59%

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

$83.6 MX$1,535

$101 $101

-17.41%

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

$24.03 MX$441

$59.1 $59.1

-59.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 MX$539

$64.1 $64.1

-54.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,191

$41.72 $41.72

55.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$541

$24.22 $24.22

21.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MX$93.4

$14.05 $14.05

-63.77%

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

$208 MX$3,813

$1,829 $1,829

-88.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$74.3K

$30.5K $30.5K

-86.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.55 MX$818

$57.2 $57.2

-22.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 MX$772

$38.12 $38.12

10.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MX$1,387

$79.2 $79.2

-4.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,678

$102 $102

-10.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$18.1K

$1,599 $1,599

-38.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$7,072

$1,294 $1,294

-70.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$31.5K

$2,461 $2,461

-30.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$20.4K

$2,151 $2,151

-48.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$73.7K

$2,770 $2,770

44.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$114.7K

$2,390 $2,390

161.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.9K

$4,660 $4,660

-83.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.64

72.44%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Barnstable, MA: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$385 31.4%

Barnstable, MA

$1.3K 54.4% 236% $909

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$260 21.2%

Barnstable, MA

$324 13.6% 24.5% $64

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$204 16.6%

Barnstable, MA

$276 11.6% 35.4% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.2%

Barnstable, MA

$224 9.4% 63.8% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$114 9.3%

Barnstable, MA

$124 5.2% 8.9% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$75 6.1%

Barnstable, MA

$70 2.9% 7% $5.2

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.2%

Barnstable, MA

$65 2.7% 24.3% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Playa del Carmen and $1,599 in Barnstable, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barnstable, MA pays 515% 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: $45.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $74.0 in Barnstable, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $324 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇺🇸 Barnstable, MA

🕒 Local time

08:06 8:06 AM

09:06 9:06 AM

1 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

44,000

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Playa del Carmen Barnstable, MA 2,820 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Barnstable, MA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 95% in total monthly costs ($1,215 vs $2,367 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 515% 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: $986 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,599 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 25% less than in Barnstable, MA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $208 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,829 in Barnstable, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,215 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,367 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 95% less than in Barnstable, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.