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: $3,098 in Philipsburg versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,842 in Philipsburg versus $2,189 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,587 in Philipsburg versus $3,084 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Philipsburg is roughly 139% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Philipsburg is 132% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.89 ANG 26.57

$11.73 MX$202

26.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.5 ANG 131

$41.78 MX$719

75.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 ANG 14.23

$10.41 MX$179

-23.44%

Cappuccino

$4.43 ANG 7.90

$3.61 MX$62.1

22.71%

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

$2.97 ANG 5.30

$1.46 MX$25.06

103.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 ANG 6.42

$0.97 MX$16.70

271.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 ANG 5.41

$2.92 MX$50.3

3.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 ANG 9.12

$4.62 MX$79.5

10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.06 ANG 5.46

$1.43 MX$24.59

113.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 ANG 5.68

$1.90 MX$32.70

67.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 ANG 5.33

$1.57 MX$26.95

90.45%

Eggs

$6.58 ANG 11.74

$2.64 MX$45.34

149.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.48 ANG 32.99

$8.44 MX$145

118.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.83 ANG 30.04

$8.58 MX$148

96.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.80 ANG 35.34

$11.00 MX$189

80.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.98 ANG 10.67

$2.70 MX$46.51

121.48%

Banana (1kg)

$5.92 ANG 10.56

$1.51 MX$25.92

292.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$9.35 ANG 16.68

$1.91 MX$32.93

389.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 ANG 11.47

$2.17 MX$37.37

196.31%

Potato (1kg)

$3.93 ANG 7.02

$1.87 MX$32.25

110.16%

Onion (1kg)

$3.97 ANG 7.08

$2.23 MX$38.43

78.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.43 ANG 7.90

$1.08 MX$18.60

310.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 ANG 3.52

$1.07 MX$18.47

84.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.78 ANG 13.89

$4.16 MX$71.6

87.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.91 ANG 19.47

$10.29 MX$177

6.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 ANG 5.93

$1.68 MX$28.95

97.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ANG 5.11

$2.53 MX$43.59

13.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 ANG 2.62

$0.55 MX$9.53

167.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.94 ANG 26.67

$3.20 MX$55.0

366.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.85 ANG 8.66

$2.46 MX$42.37

97.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ANG 2.56

$1.32 MX$22.72

9.09%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

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

$222 ANG 397

$81.4 MX$1,400

173.10%

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

$32.97 ANG 58.9

$22.41 MX$386

47.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 ANG 123

$29.97 MX$516

130.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.3 ANG 113

$51.6 MX$887

22.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$12.75 ANG 22.76

$5.16 MX$88.9

147.09%

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

$371 ANG 662

$202 MX$3,471

83.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K ANG 19.9K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

109.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 ANG 3,517

$950 MX$16.3K

107.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,875 ANG 3,347

$478 MX$8,227

292.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,726 ANG 10.2K

$1,621 MX$27.9K

253.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,589 ANG 9,976

$1,223 MX$21.0K

357.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,104 ANG 1,970

$673 MX$11.6K

64.03%

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: June 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,970 in Philipsburg and $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Philipsburg pays 64% 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: $74.0 in Philipsburg vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $540 vs $254 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 139% 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.

Philipsburg pays 64% more on average, 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: $1,970 in Philipsburg versus $950 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 $3,098 per month in Philipsburg versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen – a 139% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,098 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 $1,294 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 139% less than in Philipsburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.