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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $671 in Batangas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $973 in Batangas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,274 in Batangas.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 89% more expensive than 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

$11.87 MX$204

$2.34 ₱142

407.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$21.41 ₱1,300

100.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$2.68 ₱163

297.39%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.72 ₱105

100.58%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.81 ₱49.39

85.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.38 ₱22.93

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.02 ₱62.0

197.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.35 ₱81.9

241.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.16 ₱131

-36.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.20 ₱72.8

54.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.82 ₱49.94

96.34%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.89 ₱115

37.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$4.72 ₱287

75.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.30 ₱261

94.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.35 ₱446

45.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.73 ₱165

-3.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.59 ₱96.4

-6.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.69 ₱163

-28.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.65 ₱99.9

26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.56 ₱155

-27.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$4.12 ₱250

-45.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.40 ₱85.2

-24.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.04 ₱63.2

4.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.79 ₱169

48.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$7.37 ₱448

40.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.93 ₱56.3

84.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.96 ₱119

33.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.28 ₱17.05

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.79 ₱47.90

296.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.27 ₱16.46

829.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.17 ₱132

45.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.11 ₱67.3

14.41%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$25.2K ₱1.5M

20.56%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.3K ₱1.2M

15.82%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$161 ₱9,803

-48.59%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$19.08 ₱1,159

19.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$29.35 ₱1,782

0.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$27.72 ₱1,683

83.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$4.45 ₱270

311.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.40 ₱328

-8.70%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$81.4 ₱4,943

142.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$1,405 ₱85.3K

275.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$17.83 ₱1,082

106.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$26.73 ₱1,623

49.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$61.1 ₱3,711

30.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$44.47 ₱2,700

101.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$261 ₱15.8K

266.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$80.9 ₱4,912

489.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$177 ₱10.8K

827.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$105 ₱6,349

1071.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,634 ₱159.9K

48.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,652 ₱100.3K

291.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$168 ₱10.2K

295.89%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Batangas: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $261 in Batangas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 296% 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 $21.00 in Batangas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 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 89% in total monthly costs ($1,271 vs $671 including rent). Batangas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 296% 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $261 in Batangas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $671 in Batangas – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $671 in Batangas versus $1,271 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 89% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.