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 $2,283 per month in Billings, MT vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,476 per month in Billings, MT vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,670 per month in Billings, MT vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Billings, MT costs about 80% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Billings, MT sits 67% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.34 $26.34

$11.60 MX$200

127.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 $74.2

$47.11 MX$812

57.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.30 $13.30

$11.88 MX$205

11.95%

Cappuccino

$6.36 $6.36

$3.98 MX$68.6

59.80%

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

$2.42 $2.42

$1.43 MX$24.60

69.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.82 MX$14.22

92.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.19 MX$55.0

30.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 $4.94

$6.79 MX$117

-27.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.68 MX$28.89

-39.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.20 MX$37.88

54.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.71 MX$29.45

80.70%

Eggs

$3.05 $3.05

$2.74 MX$47.26

11.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 $12.18

$9.58 MX$165

27.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 $11.48

$9.01 MX$155

27.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.90 $17.90

$12.81 MX$221

39.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.89 MX$49.81

26.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.50 MX$25.81

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.15 MX$37.03

39.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$2.26 MX$38.96

108.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.98 MX$34.15

-42.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.99 MX$34.30

-1.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.23 MX$21.28

83.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.20 MX$20.63

23.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.34 $9.34

$4.55 MX$78.5

105.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 $10.81

$10.37 MX$179

4.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.62 MX$27.91

35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.88 MX$49.67

73.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.60 MX$10.35

231.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 $27.55

$28.80 MX$497

-4.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 $2.45

$5.39 MX$92.9

-54.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$3.73 MX$64.3

-62.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.9 $58.9

$5.77 MX$99.5

921.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.54 MX$26.48

-40.26%

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

$33.2K $33.2K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

47.09%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-9.42%

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

$170 $170

$91.4 MX$1,576

86.10%

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

$48.84 $48.84

$25.20 MX$435

93.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.3 $83.3

$31.24 MX$539

166.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.63 $48.63

$67.2 MX$1,159

-27.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.14 $15.14

$29.11 MX$502

-47.99%

Cinema Ticket

$13.88 $13.88

$4.86 MX$83.8

185.60%

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

$1,069 $1,069

$224 MX$3,856

378.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.1K $19.1K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

352.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 $59.6

$47.10 MX$812

26.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 $66.4

$44.29 MX$764

49.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$80.1 MX$1,381

21.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$92.7 MX$1,598

33.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,191 $1,191

$1,063 MX$18.3K

12.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$927 $927

$390 MX$6,728

137.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 $2,029

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-5.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 $1,762

$1,272 MX$21.9K

38.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,360 $2,360

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-41.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 $2,090

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-67.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,892 $3,892

$758 MX$13.1K

413.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

11.45

-46.72%

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

Last update for Billings, MT: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,191 in Billings, MT versus $1,063 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 413% 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 $74.0 in Billings, MT versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $276 – 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 80% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,424 per month in Billings, MT and $1,899 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 5% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,069 per month in Billings, MT and $224 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 $1,266, than in Billings, MT at $2,283. 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 $1,266 versus $2,283 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.