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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,160 in Philipsburg versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,809 in Philipsburg versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,458 in Philipsburg versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Philipsburg is roughly 151% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Philipsburg is 137% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.11 ANG 26.98

$11.72 MX$203

28.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 ANG 136

$41.89 MX$725

81.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ANG 14.68

$10.51 MX$182

-21.79%

Cappuccino

$4.25 ANG 7.58

$3.59 MX$62.0

18.38%

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

$2.93 ANG 5.22

$1.51 MX$26.10

94.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ANG 6.64

$0.92 MX$15.83

304.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 ANG 5.30

$2.96 MX$51.2

0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 ANG 8.88

$4.41 MX$76.3

12.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.93 ANG 5.23

$1.40 MX$24.16

109.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 ANG 5.69

$1.88 MX$32.60

69.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 ANG 5.26

$1.56 MX$26.97

88.46%

Eggs

$6.33 ANG 11.31

$2.61 MX$45.14

142.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.26 ANG 32.59

$8.32 MX$144

119.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.79 ANG 29.98

$8.35 MX$145

101.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.40 ANG 34.62

$10.86 MX$188

78.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 ANG 10.54

$2.71 MX$46.93

117.71%

Banana (1kg)

$6.12 ANG 10.92

$1.51 MX$26.04

305.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$9.09 ANG 16.22

$1.87 MX$32.41

386.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.45 ANG 11.52

$2.19 MX$37.89

194.52%

Potato (1kg)

$4.08 ANG 7.28

$1.86 MX$32.14

119.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.92 ANG 7.00

$2.23 MX$38.59

75.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.46 ANG 7.97

$1.07 MX$18.48

316.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ANG 3.49

$1.09 MX$18.79

79.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 ANG 14.61

$4.19 MX$72.4

95.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.85 ANG 19.37

$10.43 MX$180

4.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 ANG 6.00

$1.66 MX$28.68

102.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ANG 5.01

$2.61 MX$45.19

7.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 ANG 2.71

$0.54 MX$9.37

181.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.15 ANG 27.04

$3.08 MX$53.3

391.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.86 ANG 8.67

$2.40 MX$41.61

102.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ANG 2.53

$1.31 MX$22.69

8.40%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$229 ANG 410

$81.3 MX$1,406

182.33%

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

$32.15 ANG 57.4

$22.56 MX$390

42.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 ANG 127

$30.05 MX$520

137.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ANG 110

$52.9 MX$915

16.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$13.24 ANG 23.63

$4.92 MX$85.1

169.11%

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

$380 ANG 679

$201 MX$3,474

89.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K ANG 19.9K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

115.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 ANG 3,447

$978 MX$16.9K

97.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,876 ANG 3,348

$470 MX$8,140

298.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,653 ANG 10.1K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

242.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,752 ANG 10.3K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

377.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 ANG 1,991

$677 MX$11.7K

64.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

11.42

-49.65%

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

Last update for Philipsburg: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,931 in Philipsburg and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Philipsburg pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $76.0 in Philipsburg vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $536 vs $252 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 151% lower than in Philipsburg. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 65% higher in Philipsburg, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,931 in Philipsburg versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 113% higher in Philipsburg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,160 per month in Philipsburg versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 151% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,160 in Philipsburg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Philipsburg. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,260 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 151% less than in Philipsburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.