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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $779 in Baguio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,139 in Baguio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,500 in Baguio.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 65% more expensive than Baguio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Baguio 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.59 ₱222

232.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$13.50 ₱833

216.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$2.60 ₱160

307.31%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.34 ₱145

54.70%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.70 ₱43.29

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.40 ₱24.72

135.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.46 ₱89.9

111.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.00 ₱123

123.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.89 ₱116

-24.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.25 ₱77.3

50.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.11 ₱68.6

46.85%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.20 ₱135

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.08 ₱560

-9.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.70 ₱228

124.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$8.42 ₱519

31.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.63 ₱162

0.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.87 ₱115

-19.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.26 ₱140

-11.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.18 ₱72.6

76.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.82 ₱112

-1.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.29 ₱141

-4.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.72 ₱44.67

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.77 ₱47.61

35.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.35 ₱206

18.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.17 ₱566

11.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.08 ₱66.4

60.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.26 ₱140

10.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.26 ₱15.90

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$10.56 ₱652

155.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.87 ₱53.7

260.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.22 ₱13.54

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.45 ₱151

26.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.11 ₱68.3

14.41%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$32.3K ₱2.0M

-4.25%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

13.71%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$146 ₱8,987

-43.71%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$34.10 ₱2,103

-34.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$25.99 ₱1,603

14.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$21.76 ₱1,342

138.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$4.16 ₱256

348.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.93 ₱366

-16.19%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$153 ₱9,455

29.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,642 ₱286.3K

13.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$49.11 ₱3,029

-26.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$27.25 ₱1,681

46.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$76.3 ₱4,706

4.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$45.91 ₱2,832

93.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$346 ₱21.3K

178.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$142 ₱8,777

226.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$544 ₱33.6K

193.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$264 ₱16.3K

358.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,423 ₱149.4K

62.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$949 ₱58.5K

579.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$186 ₱11.5K

287.67%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Baguio: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $346 in Baguio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 288% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $13.00 in Baguio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $205 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 65% 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.

Playa del Carmen pays 288% 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $346 in Baguio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $779 in Baguio – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Baguio runs roughly 155% 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 $1,287 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 65% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.