Cost of Living Comparison Between Billings, MT and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Billings, MT and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,245 per month in Billings, MT vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,433 per month in Billings, MT vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,620 per month in Billings, MT vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Billings, MT costs about 78% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Billings, MT sits 69% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.79 $19.79

$11.72 MX$203

68.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 $60.6

$41.89 MX$725

44.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.77 $14.77

$10.51 MX$182

40.53%

Cappuccino

$5.87 $5.87

$3.59 MX$62.0

63.51%

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

$2.13 $2.13

$1.51 MX$26.10

41.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$0.92 MX$15.83

198.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.96 MX$51.2

51.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 $4.90

$4.41 MX$76.3

11.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.40 MX$24.16

-10.71%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.88 MX$32.60

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$1.56 MX$26.97

169.23%

Eggs

$3.02 $3.02

$2.61 MX$45.14

15.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$8.32 MX$144

70.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.43 $12.43

$8.35 MX$145

48.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.16 $16.16

$10.86 MX$188

48.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.71 MX$46.93

63.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.51 MX$26.04

-6.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$1.87 MX$32.41

110.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.22 $6.22

$2.19 MX$37.89

184.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.86 MX$32.14

0.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.23 MX$38.59

45.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.07 MX$18.48

123.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.09 MX$18.79

22.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.38 $9.38

$4.19 MX$72.4

123.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.15 $13.15

$10.43 MX$180

26.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.66 MX$28.68

37.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.61 MX$45.19

49.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.54 MX$9.37

272.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.79 $27.79

$26.16 MX$453

6.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.08 MX$53.3

-20.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.40 MX$41.61

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.51 $29.51

$3.13 MX$54.1

842.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.31 MX$22.69

-38.93%

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

$21.6K $21.6K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-27.55%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

8.12%

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

$158 $158

$81.3 MX$1,406

94.72%

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

$49.12 $49.12

$22.56 MX$390

117.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$30.05 MX$520

127.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.30 $48.30

$52.9 MX$915

-8.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$13.83 $13.83

$4.92 MX$85.1

181.10%

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

$1,010 $1,010

$201 MX$3,474

402.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.6K $32.6K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

530.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 $56.7

$35.92 MX$622

57.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 $67.8

$40.13 MX$694

68.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$79.7 MX$1,379

29.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$86.5 MX$1,496

40.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 $1,147

$978 MX$16.9K

17.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 $920

$470 MX$8,140

95.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,087 $2,087

$1,651 MX$28.6K

26.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,813 $1,813

$1,203 MX$20.8K

50.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,343 $2,343

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-40.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,121 $2,121

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-67.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,890 $3,890

$677 MX$11.7K

474.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

11.42

-42.29%

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

Last update for Billings, MT: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,147 in Billings, MT versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. 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 475% higher in Billings, MT, 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 $61.0 in Billings, MT versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 vs $252 – making Playa del Carmen 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

Billings, MT vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Billings, MT costs about 78% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,367 per month in Billings, MT and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,010 per month in Billings, MT and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Billings, MT at $2,245. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Billings, MT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,260 versus $2,245 in Billings, MT. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Billings, MT makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.