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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,469 in Bayamo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,054 in Bayamo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,640 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 6% below, Bayamo is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.19 CUP 76.4

275.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$50.9 CUP 1,222

-17.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$6.99 CUP 168

53.79%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$3.32 CUP 79.8

5.42%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.27 CUP 30.46

14.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$1.13 CUP 27.09

-22.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.97 CUP 47.30

49.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$1.79 CUP 42.95

151.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$3.02 CUP 72.4

-52.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.99 CUP 23.71

85.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$3.06 CUP 73.4

-48.69%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$3.52 CUP 84.5

-28.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$6.04 CUP 145

37.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$6.16 CUP 148

36.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$11.96 CUP 287

-10.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$5.08 CUP 122

-48.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.23 CUP 29.64

17.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.54 CUP 36.88

27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.46 CUP 35.11

43.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.97 CUP 47.35

-6.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.95 CUP 70.9

-26.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.03 CUP 24.62

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.12 CUP 26.97

-4.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$4.02 CUP 96.6

1.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$10.08 CUP 242

0.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.98 CUP 47.56

-15.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.97 CUP 47.26

28.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.22 CUP 5.19

131.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$35.20 CUP 845

-26.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$2.24 CUP 53.8

44.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.42 CUP 10.05

473.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$20.14 CUP 483

-83.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.23 CUP 29.43

7.32%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$74.2K CUP 1.8M

-60.00%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$90.2K CUP 2.2M

-73.78%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$29.43 CUP 706

178.66%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$10.08 CUP 242

127.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$255 CUP 6,110

-88.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$40.74 CUP 978

27.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$9.91 CUP 238

86.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$1.01 CUP 24.26

393.07%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$96.5 CUP 2,316

104.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$15.3K CUP 366.7K

-65.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$20.36 CUP 489

74.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$25.23 CUP 605

59.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$69.5 CUP 1,669

13.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$55.9 CUP 1,342

59.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$422 CUP 10.1K

124.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$669 CUP 16.1K

-29.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$585 CUP 14.0K

181.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$968 CUP 23.2K

25.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$393 CUP 9,421

933.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$348 CUP 8,356

1758.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$19.80 CUP 475

3202.47%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bayamo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $422 in Bayamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 3202% 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 $51.0 in Bayamo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $261 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 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3202% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $422 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 $51.0 in Bayamo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,469 in Bayamo – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,469 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 17% less than in Bayamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.