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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,140 in Bragadiru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,804 in Bragadiru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,468 in Bragadiru.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 14% more expensive than in Bragadiru, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Bragadiru 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$204

$14.01 RON 64.0

-16.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$725

$68.0 RON 311

-38.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$181

$8.24 RON 37.64

26.33%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$3.36 RON 15.34

7.44%

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

$1.46 MX$25.28

$1.91 RON 8.73

-23.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.30 RON 5.93

-25.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$2.31 RON 10.57

26.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$80.2

$3.13 RON 14.28

47.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.78 RON 8.11

-19.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.98

$1.25 RON 5.73

52.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.18

$1.93 RON 8.81

-18.65%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.73

$3.38 RON 15.46

-21.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

$9.61 RON 43.91

-12.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$149

$7.08 RON 32.32

21.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

$11.56 RON 52.8

-4.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

$1.41 RON 6.45

91.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

$1.78 RON 8.14

-15.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

$1.82 RON 8.29

4.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

$2.52 RON 11.53

-13.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.53

$1.05 RON 4.81

78.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

$1.10 RON 5.02

102.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$0.96 RON 4.38

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.89 RON 4.08

20.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.2

$6.63 RON 30.31

-37.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$179

$6.49 RON 29.63

58.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.20

$1.14 RON 5.19

47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$2.03 RON 9.25

24.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

$0.67 RON 3.04

-17.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

$19.65 RON 89.8

33.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$0.67 RON 3.04

377.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

$0.66 RON 3.02

272.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$6.95 RON 31.74

-53.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.91

$1.63 RON 7.43

-19.02%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

$29.1K RON 132.9K

3.68%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$30.4K RON 139.1K

-23.16%

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

$81.4 MX$1,412

$181 RON 827

-55.05%

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

$22.41 MX$389

$8.05 RON 36.76

178.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$520

$9.25 RON 42.26

224.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$41.12 RON 188

25.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$18.98 RON 86.7

-3.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$89.6

$7.83 RON 35.77

-34.10%

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

$202 MX$3,501

$554 RON 2,531

-63.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

$8,413 RON 38.4K

-36.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

$80.1 RON 366

-55.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

$46.21 RON 211

-12.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

$90.7 RON 415

-13.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

$81.4 RON 372

6.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

$392 RON 1,790

142.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

$285 RON 1,304

67.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

$599 RON 2,735

170.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$446 RON 2,036

174.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

$1,914 RON 8,746

109.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

$1,380 RON 6,306

368.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.7K

$1,104 RON 5,044

-39.05%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Bragadiru: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $392 in Bragadiru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bragadiru pays 64% 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 $68.0 in Bragadiru. Groceries flip the comparison at $254 vs $231, 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 64% 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: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $392 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 34% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $554 in Bragadiru. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,140 in Bragadiru versus $1,294 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 14% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.