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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,484 in Bata, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,157 in Bata, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,829 in Bata, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 12% cheaper than Bata, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Bata is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$19.75 FCFA 11.2K

-39.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$43.61 FCFA 24.6K

8.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.71 FCFA 1,533

52.03%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.41 FCFA 794

-0.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.90 FCFA 511

1.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.51 FCFA 1,983

-8.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.42 FCFA 2,496

59.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.73 FCFA 980

-2.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.17 FCFA 1,792

-32.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.55 FCFA 877

14.19%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.11 FCFA 1,194

33.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$10.62 FCFA 6,000

-13.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$8.88 FCFA 5,016

3.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.54 FCFA 5,958

19.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$10.52 FCFA 5,943

-71.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.80 FCFA 1,019

-12.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$9.00 FCFA 5,088

-75.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.55 FCFA 2,007

-33.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.68 FCFA 1,515

-25.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.72 FCFA 1,539

-27.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.87 FCFA 491

42.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.37 FCFA 774

-11.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$5.38 FCFA 3,041

-14.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$6.15 FCFA 3,475

71.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$3.46 FCFA 1,956

-51.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.90 FCFA 511

482.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.87 FCFA 489

319.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.13 FCFA 641

36.28%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$356 FCFA 200.9K

-74.50%

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

$25.19 MX$427

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$52.5 FCFA 29.6K

-39.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$71.5 FCFA 40.4K

-3.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$79.6 FCFA 45.0K

-40.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$71.4 FCFA 40.4K

-39.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$150 FCFA 84.5K

-46.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$139 FCFA 78.5K

-34.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$391 FCFA 221.2K

177.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$219 FCFA 123.6K

86.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$565 FCFA 319.4K

248.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$356 FCFA 201.4K

259.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$791 FCFA 446.7K

-2.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bata: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $391 in Bata. 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 2% higher in Bata, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Bata. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $352 in Bata – so Playa del Carmen 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 Bata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bata costs about 14% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,226 in Bata. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,484 in Bata. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Bata, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Bata at $1,484. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bata it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,305 versus $1,484 in Bata. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bata makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.