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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $602 in Bataan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $994 in Bataan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,386 in Bataan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 109% more expensive than in Bataan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Bataan 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$1.44 ₱88.6

713.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$17.43 ₱1,070

140.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$2.99 ₱184

251.51%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.48 ₱91.1

142.57%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.81 ₱49.60

86.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.26 ₱15.94

253.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.48 ₱90.6

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.60 ₱160

69.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.79 ₱110

-21.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.44 ₱88.5

30.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$0.99 ₱60.8

57.58%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.01 ₱123

29.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$8.10 ₱497

2.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$4.04 ₱248

106.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$10.79 ₱662

0.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.88 ₱177

-5.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$2.08 ₱128

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$3.64 ₱223

-48.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.46 ₱89.5

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.45 ₱88.9

28.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$2.53 ₱155

-11.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.08 ₱66.1

-0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.55 ₱33.50

98.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.44 ₱150

71.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$8.89 ₱546

17.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.08 ₱66.6

53.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.50 ₱154

4.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.26 ₱15.93

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$4.20 ₱258

522.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.83 ₱51.1

271.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.22 ₱13.44

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$2.14 ₱132

46.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.17 ₱71.7

11.97%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$28.2K ₱1.7M

5.78%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$28.7K ₱1.8M

-18.79%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$53.1 ₱3,260

53.07%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$23.13 ₱1,420

-2.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$26.33 ₱1,617

14.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$34.38 ₱2,111

53.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$4.54 ₱279

305.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$6.31 ₱387

-22.03%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$74.4 ₱4,570

169.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$4,358 ₱267.6K

18.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$46.59 ₱2,860

-22.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$34.10 ₱2,094

17.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$69.0 ₱4,235

15.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$116 ₱7,099

-25.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$98.5 ₱6,046

893.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$57.9 ₱3,555

712.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$315 ₱19.3K

424.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$170 ₱10.4K

608.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$407 ₱25.0K

66.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.17

85.09%

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 Bataan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $98.5 in Bataan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 66% 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 $17.00 in Bataan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $218 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 109% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 66% 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 $98.5 in Bataan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bataan – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $602 in Bataan versus $1,260 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 109% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.