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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $665 in Batangas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $973 in Batangas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,282 in Batangas.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 90% more expensive than in Batangas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Batangas 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$2.34 ₱143

400.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$21.67 ₱1,330

93.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$2.61 ₱160

302.68%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.70 ₱104

111.18%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.82 ₱50.1

84.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.37 ₱22.82

148.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$0.98 ₱60.2

202.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$1.39 ₱85.6

217.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$2.11 ₱129

-33.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.24 ₱76.4

51.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$0.87 ₱53.6

79.31%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.89 ₱116

38.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$4.98 ₱306

67.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$4.23 ₱260

97.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$7.08 ₱435

53.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.65 ₱163

2.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.54 ₱94.4

-1.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$2.73 ₱168

-31.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.70 ₱104

28.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$2.50 ₱153

-25.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$4.05 ₱249

-44.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.45 ₱89.1

-26.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$1.05 ₱64.5

3.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.89 ₱177

44.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$7.91 ₱486

31.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$0.86 ₱52.9

93.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.05 ₱126

27.32%

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

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.83 ₱51.1

271.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.25 ₱15.17

860.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$2.19 ₱135

42.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.10 ₱67.8

19.09%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$26.0K ₱1.6M

14.78%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$20.4K ₱1.2M

14.57%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$162 ₱9,948

-49.83%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$19.09 ₱1,172

18.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$29.60 ₱1,817

1.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$27.76 ₱1,704

90.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$4.30 ₱264

327.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$5.30 ₱325

-7.17%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$79.9 ₱4,907

151.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$1,412 ₱86.7K

266.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$17.48 ₱1,073

105.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$27.00 ₱1,658

48.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$61.0 ₱3,743

30.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$43.85 ₱2,693

97.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$270 ₱16.6K

262.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$78.6 ₱4,826

498.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$178 ₱10.9K

828.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$106 ₱6,514

1034.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$2,508 ₱154.0K

57.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$1,652 ₱101.4K

299.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$169 ₱10.4K

300.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.13

40.47%

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 Batangas: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $270 in Batangas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 300% 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 $22.00 in Batangas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $202 per month, with Batangas 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 Batangas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Batangas differ by about 90% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $665 including rent). Batangas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 300% 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 $270 in Batangas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $665 in Batangas – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $665 in Batangas versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Batangas but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Batangas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Batangas 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 Batangas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.