Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Angeles

For one person, living is cheaper in Angeles: $891 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Angeles, Philippines
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Angeles
🇵🇭 Philippines
$891
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Angeles

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Angeles actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $891 in Angeles.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Angeles $891

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,317 in Angeles.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Angeles $1,317

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,959 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,744 in Angeles.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Angeles $1,744

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 35% more expensive than in Angeles, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Angeles 35% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Angeles
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$3.11 ₱198
251.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$815
$23.73 ₱1,511
82.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$2.64 ₱168
346.21%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.6
$1.96 ₱125
94.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.10
$0.88 ₱56.3
45.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.71
$0.34 ₱21.39
129.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$1.53 ₱97.6
107.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$2.34 ₱149
110.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Angeles
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.43
$1.53 ₱97.4
-7.84%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.66
$1.26 ₱80.2
76.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.64
$0.86 ₱55.0
65.12%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.41
$1.67 ₱106
50.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$137
$7.22 ₱460
0.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$145
$3.59 ₱228
114.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$239
$9.00 ₱573
41.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$3.04 ₱194
-8.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.71
$1.34 ₱85.5
2.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.94
$2.79 ₱178
-8.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.90
$1.56 ₱99.2
35.90%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.43
$2.98 ₱190
-34.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.44
$3.38 ₱215
-44.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.55
$2.76 ₱176
-58.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.16
$0.43 ₱27.11
174.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.7
$2.86 ₱182
50.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$7.98 ₱508
24.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.76
$1.13 ₱72.0
39.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.2
$1.34 ₱85.6
99.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Angeles
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.40
$0.23 ₱14.69
139.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$12.91 ₱822
106.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.4
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.6
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.14
$1.07 ₱68.0
34.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.4K
$21.1K ₱1.3M
-2.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$441.0K
$19.0K ₱1.2M
23.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Angeles
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,594
$171 ₱10.9K
-50.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$440
$7.64 ₱486
206.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$539
$33.55 ₱2,137
-14.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Angeles
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,072
$30.32 ₱1,931
88.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
$7.99 ₱509
261.83%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.6
$4.65 ₱296
10.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Angeles
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,882
$83.6 ₱5,326
147.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.8K
$7,840 ₱499.4K
-49.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Angeles
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$815
$29.22 ₱1,861
48.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$779
$22.02 ₱1,403
88.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,394
$59.7 ₱3,801
24.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,677
$85.3 ₱5,435
4.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Angeles
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$459 ₱29.2K
113.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,157
$261 ₱16.6K
45.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$702 ₱44.7K
143.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$475 ₱30.2K
126.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.1K
$2,081 ₱132.5K
89.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.7K
$627 ₱39.9K
882.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Angeles
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$326 ₱20.8K
125.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
7
63.57%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Angeles: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Angeles
$261 31.5% $120
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Angeles
$203 20.4% $52
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Angeles
$74 63.7% $129
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Angeles
$212 54.7% $75
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Angeles
$88 20.9% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Angeles
$40 41.1% $28
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Angeles
$14 * 72.6% $37

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $980 in Playa del Carmen and $459 in Angeles. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays about 2.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $24 in Angeles for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $203 per month, with Angeles cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇵🇭 Angeles
🕒 Local time
05:05 5:05 AM
18:05 6:05 PM
13 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
462,928
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.97 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 63.69 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.08 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Angeles 15,020 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Angeles

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Playa del Carmen vs Angeles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Angeles?
Angeles wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Angeles the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or in Angeles?
Average pay in Playa del Carmen is about 2.3 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Angeles?
Rent for a central apartment: $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $459 in Angeles. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or in Angeles?
Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Angeles?
Dining out is cheaper in Angeles – a meal for two runs $24 versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $800/month in Playa del Carmen or in Angeles?
Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Angeles is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Playa del Carmen or Angeles?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Angeles gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?