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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,135 in Bragadiru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,777 in Bragadiru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,420 in Bragadiru.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 12% more expensive than in Bragadiru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Bragadiru 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$13.50 RON 61.8

-14.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$61.9 RON 284

-23.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.72 RON 35.38

53.89%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$3.45 RON 15.82

15.36%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.82 RON 8.33

-21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$1.31 RON 6.01

-37.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$2.16 RON 9.90

47.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.41 RON 15.62

99.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.74 RON 7.95

-3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.26 RON 5.78

74.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.79 RON 8.19

-4.47%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$3.16 RON 14.46

-13.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.99 RON 41.17

6.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.97 RON 31.92

29.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$9.28 RON 42.50

38.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.32 RON 6.03

118.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.67 RON 7.64

-10.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.65 RON 7.56

30.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$2.67 RON 12.23

-15.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.94 RON 4.32

110.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.02 RON 4.68

95.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.05 RON 4.80

17.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.97 RON 4.46

23.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$6.82 RON 31.24

-33.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.66 RON 30.52

55.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.09 RON 4.98

48.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.82 RON 8.32

58.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.75 RON 3.44

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$22.71 RON 104

26.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.64 RON 2.91

742.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.67 RON 3.07

456.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$6.51 RON 29.81

-11.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.95 RON 8.92

-21.03%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$29.8K RON 136.5K

-24.31%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$27.7K RON 126.8K

-5.90%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$175 RON 801

-47.73%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$8.16 RON 37.40

208.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$8.55 RON 39.17

265.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$40.05 RON 183

67.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$21.02 RON 96.3

38.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$7.03 RON 32.19

-30.87%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$587 RON 2,688

-61.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$7,220 RON 33.1K

-41.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$95.9 RON 439

-50.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$44.03 RON 202

0.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$92.6 RON 424

-13.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$89.4 RON 409

3.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$401 RON 1,836

165.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$302 RON 1,383

29.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$624 RON 2,857

244.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$474 RON 2,170

168.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$1,892 RON 8,666

111.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,380 RON 6,320

371.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,119 RON 5,126

-32.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.82

67.89%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bragadiru: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $401 in Bragadiru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bragadiru pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $62.0 in Bragadiru. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $219, with Bragadiru cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bragadiru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bragadiru is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Bragadiru. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $401 in Bragadiru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bragadiru runs roughly 27% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $587 in Bragadiru. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,135 in Bragadiru versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bragadiru but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bragadiru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Bragadiru are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bragadiru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.