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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $902 per month in Phetchabun vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,476 per month in Phetchabun vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,050 per month in Phetchabun vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Phetchabun is about 28% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phetchabun and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Phetchabun 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.83 ฿61.7

$11.99 MX$210

-84.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.27 ฿918

$41.78 MX$733

-34.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 ฿219

$10.75 MX$189

-39.35%

Cappuccino

$1.20 ฿40.30

$3.50 MX$61.3

-65.71%

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

$0.68 ฿22.74

$1.45 MX$25.41

-53.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ฿7.39

$0.88 MX$15.52

-75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.5

$2.95 MX$51.7

-17.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.51 MX$79.1

-19.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ฿56.7

$1.43 MX$25.12

17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿47.08

$1.84 MX$32.23

-23.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿42.41

$1.57 MX$27.51

-19.75%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿72.3

$2.51 MX$44.06

-14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.78 ฿632

$8.28 MX$145

126.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿99.2

$8.43 MX$148

-65.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 ฿370

$10.68 MX$187

3.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 ฿106

$2.61 MX$45.76

21.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ฿42.42

$1.44 MX$25.22

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ฿64.4

$1.96 MX$34.41

-2.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿54.0

$2.09 MX$36.74

-22.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿49.04

$1.85 MX$32.47

-21.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.17 MX$38.02

-44.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿33.11

$1.03 MX$18.09

-4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

$1.07 MX$18.84

-54.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$4.10 MX$72.0

6.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.34 ฿550

$10.17 MX$178

60.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ฿58.0

$1.68 MX$29.38

2.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ฿90.6

$2.53 MX$44.31

6.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ฿32.40

$0.51 MX$8.93

88.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.67

$3.23 MX$56.7

-67.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.41 MX$42.19

-50.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 ฿202

$3.23 MX$56.6

85.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿41.92

$1.32 MX$23.17

-5.30%

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

$28.3K ฿951.1K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-4.82%

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

$27.6K ฿930.4K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

16.84%

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

$75.4 ฿2,537

$82.0 MX$1,439

-8.07%

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

$13.66 ฿460

$22.95 MX$403

-40.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.38 ฿619

$30.11 MX$528

-38.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.44 ฿1,664

$52.0 MX$912

-4.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.43 ฿418

$18.53 MX$325

-32.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.21 ฿243

$4.98 MX$87.3

44.78%

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

$303 ฿10.2K

$197 MX$3,463

53.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,725 ฿327.2K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

82.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.75 ฿1,136

$35.60 MX$624

-5.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.93 ฿1,175

$40.33 MX$707

-13.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ฿3,389

$78.8 MX$1,381

27.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.6 ฿2,410

$88.9 MX$1,560

-19.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 ฿14.5K

$947 MX$16.6K

-54.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 ฿9,466

$474 MX$8,314

-40.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 ฿27.1K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-50.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 ฿21.7K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-46.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,107 ฿70.9K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-48.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,457 ฿49.0K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-77.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

11.42

-52.28%

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

Last update for Phetchabun: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $431 in Phetchabun versus $947 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Phetchabun versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Phetchabun vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Phetchabun vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $902 in Phetchabun, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 39% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,352 per month in Phetchabun and $1,884 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 Phetchabun, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Phetchabun and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Phetchabun, where all-in costs run around $902, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Phetchabun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $902 in Phetchabun to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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