Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bath

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,794 in Bath, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Bath
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,794
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,794 in Bath.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Bath $2,794

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,102 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,002 in Bath.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,102
  • Bath $4,002

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,210 in Bath.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,000
  • Bath $5,210

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 57% less than in Bath, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 11% below, Bath is 106% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Bath
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 MX$201
$23.73 £17.80
-54.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MX$817
$101 £75.8
-56.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 MX$217
$10.78 £8.09
9.09%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.0
$5.14 £3.86
-28.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$24.79
$2.59 £1.95
-48.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$15.24
$1.85 £1.39
-55.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$7.81 £5.86
-60.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 MX$91.2
$6.46 £4.85
-23.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Bath
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$1.57 £1.18
-6.37%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$40.95
$1.70 £1.28
30.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.32
$2.02 £1.52
-26.73%
Eggs
$2.49 MX$45.99
$4.24 £3.18
-41.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 MX$139
$8.48 £6.36
-11.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$9.69 £7.27
-17.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$232
$13.05 £9.79
-3.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.3
$4.22 £3.16
-34.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$26.37
$1.81 £1.36
-20.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 MX$48.37
$2.71 £2.03
-3.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.49
$4.00 £3.00
-46.50%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.38
$2.08 £1.56
-2.88%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.74
$1.71 £1.28
16.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.01
$1.22 £0.91
-6.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$22.18
$1.96 £1.47
-38.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$78.7
$23.05 £17.29
-81.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 MX$185
$10.68 £8.01
-6.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.41
$2.85 £2.14
-45.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MX$49.17
$3.20 £2.40
-16.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Bath
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.73
$3.56 £2.67
-85.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.51 MX$508
$127 £95.6
-78.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 MX$90.6
$3.36 £2.52
45.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.43 MX$63.5
$1.71 £1.28
100.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 MX$99.4
$26.26 £19.70
-79.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$26.76
$2.08 £1.56
-30.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$391.0K
$37.8K £28.4K
-44.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$425.3K
$40.3K £30.3K
-42.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Bath
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 MX$1,577
$300 £225
-71.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.46 MX$434
$19.61 £14.71
19.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.43 MX$525
$38.83 £29.13
-26.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Bath
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 MX$1,149
$45.16 £33.88
37.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 MX$530
$19.59 £14.70
46.40%
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 MX$94.3
$15.03 £11.28
-66.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Bath
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,715
$1,631 £1,224
-87.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,947 MX$72.9K
$25.1K £18.9K
-84.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Bath
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.39 MX$820
$83.6 £62.7
-46.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.35 MX$764
$30.68 £23.02
34.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 MX$1,344
$99.0 £74.3
-26.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 MX$1,656
$82.9 £62.2
8.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Bath
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MX$18.1K
$1,804 £1,353
-45.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 MX$6,887
$1,406 £1,055
-73.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 MX$31.1K
$3,506 £2,630
-52.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 MX$20.2K
$2,105 £1,579
-47.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,949 MX$73.0K
$9,965 £7,476
-60.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,137 MX$113.4K
$6,723 £5,043
-8.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Bath
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 MX$13.6K
$3,687 £2,766
-80.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
5.11
124.07%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Bath: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$373
Bath
$1.4K 277% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Bath
$314 21.4% $55
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Bath
$354 76.7% $153
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Bath
$359 161% $221
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Bath
$133 19.4% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$72
Bath
$75 3.9% $2.8
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Bath
$154 197% $102

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $979 in Playa del Carmen and $1,804 in Bath. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bath pays 400% 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: $44.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $101 in Bath for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $314 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇬🇧 Bath
🕒 Local time
08:56 8:56 AM
14:56 2:56 PM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
88,859
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Bath 7,870 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Bath

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 Bath: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bath cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 132% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Playa del Carmen or Bath?
On paper, salaries run 400% lower in Bath. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Bath?
Rent for a central apartment: $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,804 in Bath. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Bath?
All in, you'll spend $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,794 in Bath – a 132% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 363% less than in Bath. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Bath?
At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,794 in Bath, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Bath. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Bath more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bath, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 132% less than in Bath. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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