😐A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $397 in Birtamod, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $662 in Birtamod, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $927 in Birtamod, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 217% more than Birtamod, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Birtamod are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen5% lower, Birtamod70% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Birtamod
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.72MX$203
$1.85NPR 283
533.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.89MX$725
$23.39NPR 3,570
79.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.51MX$182
$7.67NPR 1,171
37.03%
Cappuccino
$3.59MX$62.0
$1.33NPR 202
169.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51MX$26.10
$0.49NPR 74.7
208.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92MX$15.83
$0.19NPR 28.69
384.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.96MX$51.2
$1.99NPR 304
48.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41MX$76.3
$3.51NPR 536
25.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Birtamod
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40MX$24.16
$0.65NPR 98.6
115.38%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.60
$0.40NPR 61.1
370.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.56MX$26.97
$1.61NPR 246
-3.11%
Eggs
$2.61MX$45.14
$1.51NPR 230
72.85%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.32MX$144
$7.64NPR 1,166
8.90%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.35MX$145
$3.22NPR 492
159.32%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.86MX$188
$6.19NPR 945
75.44%
Apples(1kg)
$2.71MX$46.93
$2.24NPR 343
20.98%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51MX$26.04
$1.09NPR 166
38.53%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.87MX$32.41
$1.19NPR 182
57.14%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.19MX$37.89
$0.68NPR 104
222.06%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.14
$0.46NPR 69.9
304.35%
Onion(1kg)
$2.23MX$38.59
$0.65NPR 99.1
243.08%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.48
$0.53NPR 80.1
101.89%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.79
$0.27NPR 41.55
303.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19MX$72.4
$2.84NPR 433
47.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.43MX$180
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66MX$28.68
$2.29NPR 349
-27.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$45.19
$3.21NPR 490
-18.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Birtamod
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.37
$0.17NPR 26.42
217.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.16MX$453
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.08MX$53.3
$2.13NPR 325
44.60%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.61
$0.77NPR 117
211.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$54.1
$3.67NPR 560
-14.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.69
$1.24NPR 189
5.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8KMX$515.7K
$32.0KNPR 4.9M
-6.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$403.5K
$39.9KNPR 6.1M
-41.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Birtamod
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$81.3MX$1,406
$26.39NPR 4,027
208.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.56MX$390
$4.31NPR 658
423.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05MX$520
$9.67NPR 1,476
210.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Birtamod
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.9MX$915
$18.08NPR 2,759
192.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39MX$318
$7.43NPR 1,134
147.51%
Cinema Ticket
$4.92MX$85.1
$2.65NPR 404
85.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Birtamod
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$201MX$3,474
$73.2NPR 11.2K
174.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,175MX$89.5K
$2,725NPR 415.9K
89.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Birtamod
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92MX$622
$24.66NPR 3,763
45.66%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13MX$694
$27.77NPR 4,238
44.51%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.7MX$1,379
$45.07NPR 6,878
76.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,496
$29.25NPR 4,464
195.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Birtamod
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$978MX$16.9K
$103NPR 15.7K
850.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$470MX$8,140
$64.8NPR 9,894
625.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,651MX$28.6K
$206NPR 31.4K
703.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,203MX$20.8K
$145NPR 22.2K
728.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,953MX$68.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,607MX$114.3K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Birtamod
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$677MX$11.7K
$124NPR 18.9K
447.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
12.08
-5.46%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026
Last update for Birtamod: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $103 in Birtamod. 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 447% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $23.00 in Birtamod. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $132 – making Birtamod 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 Birtamod: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and in Birtamod compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $397 in Birtamod – roughly 217% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Birtamod?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $596 in Birtamod. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Birtamod?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Birtamod, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $23.00 in Birtamod. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 90% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Birtamod, where all-in costs run around $397, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Birtamod it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Birtamod?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $397 in Birtamod to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Playa del Carmen or Birtamod safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Birtamod?
If budget matters most, go with Birtamod. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared