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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,144 in Bragadiru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,798 in Bragadiru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,453 in Bragadiru.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 13% more expensive than Bragadiru, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Bragadiru 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$13.75 RON 59.9

-13.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$68.0 RON 297

-37.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.14 RON 35.51

30.10%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.29 RON 14.35

10.03%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.92 RON 8.39

-23.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.35 RON 5.89

-30.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.24 RON 9.77

37.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.17 RON 13.80

40.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.76 RON 7.67

-18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.25 RON 5.44

50.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.93 RON 8.41

-15.54%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.41 RON 14.87

-22.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.35 RON 40.77

-12.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$7.05 RON 30.75

17.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$11.41 RON 49.74

-2.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.42 RON 6.18

86.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.73 RON 7.53

-13.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.76 RON 7.65

13.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.53 RON 11.02

-17.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.05 RON 4.57

70.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.11 RON 4.84

96.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.04 RON 4.53

3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.89 RON 3.87

16.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$6.41 RON 27.93

-38.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.29 RON 31.77

39.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.13 RON 4.93

53.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.99 RON 8.67

25.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.72 RON 3.13

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$19.60 RON 85.5

37.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.72 RON 3.12

336.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.61 RON 2.67

293.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$6.90 RON 30.07

-55.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.68 RON 7.33

-24.40%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$29.3K RON 127.6K

5.54%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$29.9K RON 130.5K

-22.12%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$182 RON 795

-55.03%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$7.93 RON 34.56

183.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$9.03 RON 39.37

228.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$41.65 RON 182

24.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$18.83 RON 82.1

-0.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$8.17 RON 35.63

-39.17%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$558 RON 2,433

-64.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$8,220 RON 35.8K

-35.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$79.4 RON 346

-54.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$45.24 RON 197

-11.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$89.0 RON 388

-10.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$80.7 RON 352

10.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$388 RON 1,693

148.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$290 RON 1,265

60.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$585 RON 2,550

172.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$431 RON 1,879

180.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,792 RON 7,812

119.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,374 RON 5,992

369.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$1,189 RON 5,184

-39.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.78

68.44%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Bragadiru: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $388 in Bragadiru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bragadiru pays 65% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $68.0 in Bragadiru. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $230, 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 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bragadiru earns 65% less. 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $388 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 38% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $558 in Bragadiru. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,144 in Bragadiru versus $1,287 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 13% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.