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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $610 in Batangas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $892 in Batangas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,174 in Batangas.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 114% more expensive than in Batangas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Batangas 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$2.10 ₱132

469.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$19.15 ₱1,201

147.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$2.61 ₱163

350.19%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.10 ₱132

96.19%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.39 ₱24.39

258.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.29 ₱18.23

213.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.07 ₱67.3

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.43 ₱89.4

394.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.72 ₱108

-2.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.14 ₱71.5

88.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.75 ₱47.26

136.00%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.64 ₱103

71.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$5.43 ₱340

69.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.31 ₱270

114.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.07 ₱443

78.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.41 ₱151

22.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.43 ₱89.6

10.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.36 ₱148

-5.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.17 ₱73.4

101.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.38 ₱149

-16.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$3.34 ₱209

-40.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.32 ₱82.5

-6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.92 ₱57.6

31.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.61 ₱164

76.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.48 ₱469

40.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.33 ₱83.5

27.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.84 ₱115

50.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.67 ₱41.86

-10.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.77 ₱48.12

580.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.21 ₱13.14

1638.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$2.59 ₱163

123.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.03 ₱64.7

49.51%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$21.6K ₱1.4M

5.80%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$18.9K ₱1.2M

36.55%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$163 ₱10.2K

-44.49%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$14.42 ₱904

74.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$25.02 ₱1,568

26.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$18.76 ₱1,176

266.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$12.90 ₱808

127.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$5.70 ₱358

-14.74%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$72.0 ₱4,510

213.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$1,259 ₱78.9K

233.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$16.10 ₱1,009

194.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$23.10 ₱1,448

88.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$55.9 ₱3,502

43.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$39.47 ₱2,475

131.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$72.1 ₱4,518

466.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$157 ₱9,850

1155.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$96.6 ₱6,054

1227.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,585 ₱162.1K

56.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,586 ₱99.4K

322.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$166 ₱10.4K

364.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

63.57%

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 Batangas: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 365% 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 $19.00 in Batangas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $189 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 114% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $610 including rent). Batangas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 365% 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $610 in Batangas – a 114% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $610 in Batangas versus $1,305 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 114% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.