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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $651 in Batangas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $969 in Batangas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,288 in Batangas.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 98% more expensive than Batangas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Batangas 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$2.43 ₱149

391.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$20.88 ₱1,278

104.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$2.59 ₱158

308.88%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$1.72 ₱105

110.47%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.83 ₱50.9

77.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.37 ₱22.67

154.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.02 ₱62.3

202.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$1.34 ₱81.7

232.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$2.08 ₱127

-31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.20 ₱73.3

56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$0.90 ₱55.1

81.11%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.85 ₱113

42.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$4.79 ₱293

71.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$4.16 ₱254

99.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$7.33 ₱448

51.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$2.61 ₱160

1.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.57 ₱96.4

-4.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$2.60 ₱159

-23.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.62 ₱99.4

28.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$2.52 ₱154

-28.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$4.13 ₱253

-47.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.40 ₱85.6

-22.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$1.02 ₱62.1

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$2.91 ₱178

36.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$7.43 ₱455

37.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$0.92 ₱56.1

88.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$1.96 ₱120

27.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.26 ₱15.70

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.77 ₱47.18

307.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.27 ₱16.55

788.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$2.08 ₱127

48.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.09 ₱66.5

16.51%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$25.4K ₱1.6M

21.39%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

12.84%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$166 ₱10.1K

-50.55%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$19.22 ₱1,176

16.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$29.85 ₱1,826

-0.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$27.00 ₱1,652

92.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$4.56 ₱279

309.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$5.17 ₱316

-3.87%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$82.9 ₱5,070

138.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$1,392 ₱85.2K

278.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$17.53 ₱1,073

107.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$26.41 ₱1,616

51.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$63.3 ₱3,870

26.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$44.55 ₱2,725

99.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$267 ₱16.4K

260.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$80.4 ₱4,921

477.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$177 ₱10.9K

799.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$108 ₱6,626

1016.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$2,586 ₱158.2K

52.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$1,646 ₱100.7K

291.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$169 ₱10.3K

327.23%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Batangas: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $267 in Batangas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 327% 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 $251 vs $199 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 98% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $651 including rent). Batangas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 327% 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $267 in Batangas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $651 in Batangas – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $651 in Batangas versus $1,287 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 98% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.