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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $484 in Bataan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $814 in Bataan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,145 in Bataan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 170% more expensive than in Bataan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Bataan 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$1.32 ₱82.8

806.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$16.47 ₱1,033

187.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$2.79 ₱175

321.15%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.34 ₱83.9

207.46%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.61 ₱38.05

129.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.25 ₱15.72

264.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.02 ₱63.7

214.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.61 ₱101

339.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.67 ₱105

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.16 ₱72.6

85.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.98 ₱61.2

80.61%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.73 ₱108

63.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$5.22 ₱327

76.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.02 ₱189

205.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$8.10 ₱508

56.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.33 ₱146

26.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.57 ₱98.1

0.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.34 ₱147

-5.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.02 ₱64.2

131.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.76 ₱110

13.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.73 ₱109

14.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.67 ₱41.73

85.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.49 ₱30.99

146.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.18 ₱137

111.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$8.64 ₱542

21.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.97 ₱60.7

74.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.01 ₱126

37.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.47 ₱29.31

27.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.82 ₱51.1

539.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.25 ₱15.74

1360.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$1.86 ₱116

210.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.02 ₱63.9

50.98%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$21.0K ₱1.3M

8.38%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$19.4K ₱1.2M

33.20%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$48.26 ₱3,025

87.88%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$17.28 ₱1,083

45.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$23.20 ₱1,454

36.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$26.70 ₱1,674

157.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$5.17 ₱324

-6.00%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$67.3 ₱4,221

235.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$10.6K ₱663.9K

-60.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$29.44 ₱1,846

60.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$19.91 ₱1,248

118.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$70.5 ₱4,421

13.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$55.7 ₱3,492

64.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$167 ₱10.5K

548.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$52.8 ₱3,310

673.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$280 ₱17.6K

603.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$183 ₱11.5K

599.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$392 ₱24.6K

97.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.75

69.63%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bataan: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $167 in Bataan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 97% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $16.00 in Bataan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $173 per month, with Bataan 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 Bataan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bataan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 170% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 97% 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $167 in Bataan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 in Playa del Carmen versus $67.3 in Bataan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bataan – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $484 in Bataan versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bataan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bataan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bataan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Bataan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 170% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.