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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $718 per month in Bulacan vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,050 per month in Bulacan vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,383 per month in Bulacan vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Bulacan is about 45% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bulacan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Bulacan 46% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.70 ₱167

$11.73 MX$203

-76.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.10 ₱870

$41.62 MX$720

-66.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.83 ₱174

$10.64 MX$184

-73.40%

Cappuccino

$2.22 ₱137

$3.52 MX$60.9

-36.93%

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

$0.68 ₱41.84

$1.51 MX$26.12

-54.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₱18.92

$0.97 MX$16.84

-68.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 ₱63.9

$2.95 MX$51.0

-64.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₱129

$4.45 MX$77.0

-52.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ₱130

$1.38 MX$23.93

52.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ₱77.0

$1.89 MX$32.72

-33.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ₱56.6

$1.64 MX$28.32

-43.90%

Eggs

$1.97 ₱121

$2.51 MX$43.34

-21.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.04 ₱188

$8.34 MX$144

-63.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 ₱228

$8.34 MX$144

-55.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.67 ₱411

$10.73 MX$186

-37.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ₱128

$2.60 MX$45.04

-20.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₱88.6

$1.46 MX$25.20

-1.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.90 MX$32.87

12.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 ₱88.2

$2.08 MX$35.91

-31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 ₱107

$1.78 MX$30.71

-2.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 ₱93.6

$2.19 MX$37.80

-30.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 ₱54.0

$1.04 MX$17.99

-15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₱52.1

$1.08 MX$18.62

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ₱177

$4.08 MX$70.6

-29.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.63 ₱224

$10.32 MX$178

-64.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ₱67.3

$1.71 MX$29.61

-36.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₱100

$2.58 MX$44.54

-37.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ₱17.95

$0.51 MX$8.81

-43.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.49 ₱462

$26.46 MX$458

-71.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.02

$3.26 MX$56.4

-76.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.84

$2.49 MX$43.09

-90.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 ₱168

$3.25 MX$56.2

-16.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.6

$1.31 MX$22.61

-16.03%

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

$27.1K ₱1.7M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-10.54%

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

$14.7K ₱905.5K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-37.33%

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

$113 ₱6,942

$82.9 MX$1,433

35.85%

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

$32.16 ₱1,983

$22.22 MX$384

44.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.96 ₱1,724

$29.34 MX$507

-4.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.56 ₱2,501

$51.6 MX$893

-21.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.40 ₱271

$18.32 MX$317

-75.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 ₱393

$5.07 MX$87.6

25.84%

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

$106 ₱6,556

$201 MX$3,473

-47.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,394 ₱270.9K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-15.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.90 ₱1,844

$36.92 MX$639

-19.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.35 ₱1,440

$39.79 MX$688

-41.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 ₱4,674

$78.5 MX$1,357

-3.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 ₱6,052

$87.1 MX$1,506

12.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 ₱15.7K

$973 MX$16.8K

-73.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 ₱8,326

$468 MX$8,090

-71.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 ₱24.1K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-76.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ₱12.4K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-83.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,907 ₱117.6K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-51.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,479 ₱91.2K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-77.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$294 ₱18.1K

$664 MX$11.5K

-55.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

11.42

-45.97%

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

Last update for Bulacan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Bulacan versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 126% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Bulacan versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 vs $249 – making Bulacan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 81% more than Bulacan, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,076 per month in Bulacan and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulacan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $718 in Bulacan and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 253% less in Bulacan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bulacan, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Bulacan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bulacan costs $718 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Bulacan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.