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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $788 in Albay versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,218 in Albay versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,648 in Albay versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Albay costs roughly 37% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Albay 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 ₱223

$11.72 MX$204

-69.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.76 ₱1,090

$41.89 MX$731

-57.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.37 ₱207

$10.51 MX$183

-67.94%

Cappuccino

$2.47 ₱152

$3.59 MX$62.5

-31.20%

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

$0.82 ₱50.6

$1.51 MX$26.31

-45.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱22.65

$0.92 MX$15.96

-59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ₱82.8

$2.96 MX$51.6

-54.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱128

$4.41 MX$76.9

-52.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱117

$1.40 MX$24.35

36.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ₱75.5

$1.88 MX$32.87

-34.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱57.8

$1.56 MX$27.19

-39.74%

Eggs

$2.01 ₱123

$2.61 MX$45.50

-22.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.00 ₱491

$8.32 MX$145

-3.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 ₱265

$8.35 MX$146

-48.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 ₱483

$10.86 MX$189

-27.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ₱179

$2.71 MX$47.31

7.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ₱93.3

$1.51 MX$26.25

0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 ₱159

$1.87 MX$32.67

38.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 ₱99.4

$2.19 MX$38.19

-26.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱142

$1.86 MX$32.40

24.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 ₱162

$2.23 MX$38.90

17.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ₱68.3

$1.07 MX$18.63

3.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱43.58

$1.09 MX$18.94

-34.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 ₱177

$4.19 MX$73.0

-31.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 ₱499

$10.43 MX$182

-22.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.2

$1.66 MX$28.91

-30.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₱120

$2.61 MX$45.56

-24.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.24

$0.54 MX$9.45

-48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱51.1

$3.08 MX$53.7

-73.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.43

$2.40 MX$41.94

-90.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 ₱132

$3.13 MX$54.5

-31.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.0

$1.31 MX$22.87

-16.79%

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

$26.9K ₱1.7M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-9.69%

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

$20.3K ₱1.2M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

-13.11%

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

$111 ₱6,845

$81.3 MX$1,418

37.14%

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

$32.15 ₱1,974

$22.56 MX$393

42.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.38 ₱1,681

$30.05 MX$524

-8.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.39 ₱2,050

$52.9 MX$923

-36.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.31 ₱265

$18.39 MX$321

-76.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.97 ₱367

$4.92 MX$85.8

21.34%

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

$149 ₱9,166

$201 MX$3,502

-25.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,375 ₱268.6K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-15.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.93 ₱2,759

$35.92 MX$627

25.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ₱1,614

$40.13 MX$700

-34.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 ₱4,630

$79.7 MX$1,390

-5.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 ₱3,224

$86.5 MX$1,508

-39.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 ₱16.4K

$978 MX$17.1K

-72.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱10.7K

$470 MX$8,206

-63.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ₱36.1K

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-64.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.4K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-67.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,747 ₱168.7K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-30.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,010 ₱62.0K

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-84.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 ₱10.2K

$677 MX$11.8K

-75.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.42

-41.59%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Albay: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $267 in Albay and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 308% 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: $18.00 in Albay vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $252 per month, with Albay 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

Albay vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albay and Playa del Carmen differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($788 vs $1,260 including rent). Albay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 308% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $267 in Albay versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $149 in Albay versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Albay – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $788 in Albay versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albay but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Albay 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.

Expats usually find Albay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.