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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $779 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,147 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,514 in Baguio.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 62% more expensive than in Baguio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Baguio 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.63 ₱222

222.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$13.43 ₱822

211.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$2.69 ₱164

290.71%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.36 ₱145

52.12%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.66 ₱40.38

128.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.38 ₱22.96

142.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.39 ₱84.9

112.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.94 ₱118

127.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.82 ₱111

-23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.21 ₱73.8

55.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.07 ₱65.8

45.79%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.28 ₱139

14.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.14 ₱559

-8.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.87 ₱237

115.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$8.46 ₱518

28.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.75 ₱168

-1.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.84 ₱113

-17.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.37 ₱145

-21.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.16 ₱70.9

88.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.82 ₱111

2.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.27 ₱139

-1.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.68 ₱41.91

57.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.72 ₱44.38

51.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.36 ₱206

24.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$9.18 ₱562

13.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.08 ₱66.1

53.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.27 ₱139

14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.28 ₱17.34

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$10.43 ₱639

150.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.86 ₱52.6

258.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.22 ₱13.38

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.44 ₱149

28.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.12 ₱68.4

16.96%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$32.2K ₱2.0M

-7.55%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.6K ₱1.3M

13.38%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$149 ₱9,108

-45.37%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$34.55 ₱2,115

-34.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$26.35 ₱1,613

14.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$21.84 ₱1,337

142.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.07 ₱249

351.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.87 ₱359

-16.18%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$149 ₱9,109

34.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,683 ₱286.7K

10.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$47.86 ₱2,930

-24.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$27.14 ₱1,661

47.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$75.3 ₱4,608

5.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$46.11 ₱2,822

87.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$336 ₱20.6K

191.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$142 ₱8,677

231.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$556 ₱34.0K

196.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$262 ₱16.1K

358.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,408 ₱147.4K

64.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$919 ₱56.2K

619.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$188 ₱11.5K

260.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.5

153.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Baguio: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $336 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 260% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $13.00 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $206 per month, with Baguio 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

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

Baguio wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baguio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 260% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $336 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $779 in Baguio – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 151% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $779 in Baguio versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baguio but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Baguio the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baguio delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $779 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baguio hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Baguio are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Baguio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.