Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Barueri

For one person, living is cheaper in Barueri: $1,057 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Barueri, Brazil
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Barueri
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,057
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Barueri

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 Barueri actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,057 in Barueri, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Barueri $1,057

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,702 in Barueri, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Barueri $1,702

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,347 in Barueri, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Barueri $2,347

Playa del Carmen costs about 14% more than Barueri, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Barueri are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Barueri 22% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Barueri
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$203
$7.65 R$40.90
42.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$808
$41.22 R$220
5.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$219
$8.50 R$45.43
38.59%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.0
$2.31 R$12.32
64.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.89
$1.41 R$7.53
-9.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.58
$0.98 R$5.25
-20.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.0
$2.64 R$14.12
20.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$91.9
$3.99 R$21.33
23.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Barueri
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.20
$1.15 R$6.14
22.61%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.30
$1.94 R$10.38
14.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.40
$1.24 R$6.65
14.52%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.00
$2.61 R$13.96
-3.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$11.50 R$61.5
-36.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$5.06 R$27.04
52.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$236
$10.01 R$53.5
26.77%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.9
$2.66 R$14.25
4.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.49
$1.74 R$9.29
-21.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.52
$1.51 R$8.06
68.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.55
$1.83 R$9.79
15.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.11
$1.33 R$7.11
45.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.13
$1.18 R$6.28
60.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.36
$0.95 R$5.09
21.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.96
$0.87 R$4.62
35.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.0
$2.57 R$13.72
67.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$8.27 R$44.23
20.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.50
$1.56 R$8.32
1.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.76
$2.41 R$12.89
10.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Barueri
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.31
$1.11 R$5.95
-50.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$496
$52.0 R$278
-48.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.6
$1.63 R$8.72
204.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.1
$0.90 R$4.81
270.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.8
$9.77 R$52.3
-45.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.90
$1.22 R$6.52
18.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$385.0K
$22.0K R$117.9K
-6.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.2K
$31.7K R$169.7K
-26.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Barueri
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,580
$68.5 R$366
23.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$436
$13.23 R$70.7
76.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$534
$20.63 R$110
38.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Barueri
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,063
$29.22 R$156
95.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$539
$18.32 R$98.0
57.81%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.7
$8.79 R$46.99
-41.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Barueri
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,848
$405 R$2,164
-48.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.2K
$7,075 R$37.8K
-44.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Barueri
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$808
$51.3 R$274
-15.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$772
$55.5 R$297
-25.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,382
$89.8 R$480
-17.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,663
$80.4 R$430
11.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Barueri
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.2K
$474 R$2,536
106.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,095
$351 R$1,876
8.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.8K
$963 R$5,146
77.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$703 R$3,759
52.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.5K
$1,531 R$8,186
157.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.7K
$1,495 R$7,992
311.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Barueri
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
$573 R$3,063
28.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
11.68
-1.97%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Barueri: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Barueri
$351 7.9% $30
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Barueri
$225 11.8% $30
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Barueri
$145 28.3% $57
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Barueri
$102 25.2% $34
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Barueri
$125 11.5% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Barueri
$47 30.5% $21
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Barueri
$63 24% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $474 in Barueri. 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 28% higher in Playa del Carmen. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $41 in Barueri. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $225 – making Barueri the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇧🇷 Barueri
🕒 Local time
21:14 9:14 PM
23:14 11:14 PM
2 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
316,473
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.63 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.74 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 5.35 BRL (1 BRL = 0.187 USD). 1 EUR = 5.95 BRL (1 BRL = 0.168 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Barueri 6,560 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Barueri

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 Barueri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Barueri cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 14%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,586 in Barueri. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Barueri, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $474 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Barueri?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,057 in Barueri. That makes Barueri about 12% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 49% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 enough for either Playa del Carmen or Barueri?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,057 in Barueri, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Barueri?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,057 in Barueri to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Barueri. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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