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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,680 in Bata, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,393 in Bata, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,106 in Bata, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 23% cheaper than Bata, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Bata is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$17.06 FCFA 9,620

-31.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$57.4 FCFA 32.4K

-27.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.73 FCFA 1,537

28.94%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.99 FCFA 560

52.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.91 FCFA 510

6.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.52 FCFA 1,984

-16.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.28 FCFA 2,413

3.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.23 FCFA 1,255

-38.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.43 FCFA 1,936

-44.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.53 FCFA 1,424

-35.18%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.08 FCFA 1,172

20.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.74 FCFA 6,055

-22.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.78 FCFA 3,825

23.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.45 FCFA 5,330

13.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$7.35 FCFA 4,143

-64.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.77 FCFA 1,000

-17.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$6.87 FCFA 3,876

-72.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$3.91 FCFA 2,207

-46.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$3.16 FCFA 1,780

-43.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$3.04 FCFA 1,713

-27.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.92 FCFA 519

13.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$2.48 FCFA 1,400

-56.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$5.30 FCFA 2,992

-23.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.13 FCFA 3,455

68.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$3.59 FCFA 2,027

-52.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.84 FCFA 475

288.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.76 FCFA 428

227.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.15 FCFA 649

13.91%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$355 FCFA 200.1K

-76.65%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$202 FCFA 113.9K

-85.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$122 FCFA 68.8K

-57.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$73.5 FCFA 41.4K

-49.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$78.1 FCFA 44.1K

-49.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$166 FCFA 93.7K

-52.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$159 FCFA 89.5K

-45.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$395 FCFA 223.0K

145.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$220 FCFA 123.8K

113.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$572 FCFA 322.4K

187.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$351 FCFA 197.8K

248.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$810 FCFA 456.6K

-17.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bata: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $395 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 22% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $57.0 in Bata. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $343 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 30% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,520 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,680 in Bata. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 $1,297, than in Bata at $1,680. 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 $1,297 versus $1,680 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.