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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,500 in Bayamo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,066 in Bayamo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,632 in Bayamo.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 14% less than in Bayamo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Bayamo is 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.27 CUP 78.4

258.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$49.10 CUP 1,178

-15.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.82 CUP 164

56.01%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.15 CUP 75.7

11.75%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.27 CUP 30.48

18.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.08 CUP 25.85

-10.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.96 CUP 47.13

50.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.77 CUP 42.58

151.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$3.03 CUP 72.7

-54.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.97 CUP 23.35

94.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.96 CUP 71.1

-44.59%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.56 CUP 85.3

-29.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.82 CUP 140

43.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.91 CUP 142

41.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$12.17 CUP 292

-11.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$4.86 CUP 117

-46.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.22 CUP 29.36

19.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.47 CUP 35.29

29.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.47 CUP 35.40

41.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.98 CUP 47.51

-10.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$3.03 CUP 72.8

-27.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.01 CUP 24.27

2.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.12 CUP 26.77

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.88 CUP 93.2

5.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.01 CUP 240

3.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.96 CUP 47.02

-12.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.96 CUP 46.94

31.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.18 CUP 4.28

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$34.39 CUP 825

-23.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.23 CUP 53.5

46.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.41 CUP 9.87

507.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$20.14 CUP 483

-83.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.22 CUP 29.31

7.38%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$74.8K CUP 1.8M

-59.51%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$88.5K CUP 2.1M

-73.53%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$30.49 CUP 732

171.79%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$9.88 CUP 237

124.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$253 CUP 6,065

-88.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$40.26 CUP 966

28.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$10.02 CUP 241

82.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$0.99 CUP 23.68

412.12%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$96.8 CUP 2,324

107.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$15.2K CUP 365.3K

-65.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$20.09 CUP 482

83.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$24.83 CUP 596

60.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$71.3 CUP 1,712

10.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$54.0 CUP 1,296

61.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$431 CUP 10.3K

125.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$679 CUP 16.3K

-31.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$591 CUP 14.2K

177.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$978 CUP 23.5K

24.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$395 CUP 9,482

898.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$346 CUP 8,304

1778.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$19.82 CUP 476

3249.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

90.33%

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 Bayamo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $431 in Bayamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 3250% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $49.00 in Bayamo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $258 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Bayamo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 3250% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $431 in Bayamo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $49.00 in Bayamo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,500 in Bayamo – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,500 in Bayamo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Bayamo. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bayamo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Bayamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.