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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $675 per month in Caloocan vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,053 per month in Caloocan vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,432 per month in Caloocan vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Caloocan is about 48% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Caloocan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Caloocan 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 ₱218

$11.94 MX$208

-70.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.50 ₱826

$42.75 MX$744

-68.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.71 ₱166

$10.59 MX$184

-74.41%

Cappuccino

$1.13 ₱69.4

$3.62 MX$63.0

-68.78%

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

$0.47 ₱28.77

$1.47 MX$25.54

-68.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₱22.68

$0.94 MX$16.41

-60.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ₱82.7

$3.09 MX$53.8

-56.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₱120

$4.46 MX$77.6

-56.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱116

$1.43 MX$24.80

32.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ₱72.8

$1.88 MX$32.79

-36.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ₱63.8

$1.63 MX$28.34

-36.20%

Eggs

$2.01 ₱123

$2.64 MX$45.99

-23.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.17 ₱133

$8.21 MX$143

-73.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.81 ₱172

$8.29 MX$144

-66.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.50 ₱337

$11.10 MX$193

-50.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₱126

$2.65 MX$46.14

-22.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ₱67.1

$1.50 MX$26.11

-26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 ₱143

$1.99 MX$34.59

17.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 ₱74.9

$2.08 MX$36.13

-41.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 ₱74.6

$1.79 MX$31.11

-31.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 ₱140

$2.18 MX$37.87

5.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ₱44.16

$1.08 MX$18.73

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₱35.94

$1.04 MX$18.04

-43.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ₱195

$3.97 MX$69.1

-19.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.98 ₱305

$10.20 MX$178

-51.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ₱66.0

$1.73 MX$30.04

-37.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₱140

$2.50 MX$43.46

-8.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.49

$0.52 MX$9.02

-57.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱48.16

$3.14 MX$54.7

-74.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.70

$2.40 MX$41.80

-90.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 ₱142

$3.09 MX$53.7

-24.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱67.6

$1.27 MX$22.16

-12.60%

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

$32.5K ₱2.0M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

5.28%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-11.27%

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

$61.0 ₱3,732

$82.0 MX$1,427

-25.61%

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

$10.60 ₱648

$22.45 MX$391

-52.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.26 ₱1,607

$29.66 MX$516

-11.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$5.20 ₱318

$51.9 MX$903

-89.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.41 ₱270

$18.67 MX$325

-76.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₱357

$4.97 MX$86.5

17.51%

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

$150 ₱9,197

$198 MX$3,442

-24.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,807 ₱294.1K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-8.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.06 ₱2,940

$36.34 MX$632

32.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.23 ₱1,666

$40.05 MX$697

-32.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.2 ₱3,255

$79.9 MX$1,390

-33.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.05 ₱2,879

$88.9 MX$1,547

-47.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 ₱17.4K

$963 MX$16.8K

-70.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 ₱16.1K

$465 MX$8,086

-43.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 ₱36.2K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-62.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₱32.2K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-56.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,325 ₱142.3K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-41.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$275 ₱16.8K

$720 MX$12.5K

-61.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.42

-60.60%

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

Last update for Caloocan: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Caloocan versus $963 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 162% 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 $13.00 in Caloocan versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $151 vs $251 – making Caloocan 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 91% more than Caloocan, 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 $1,013 per month in Caloocan and $1,930 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 Caloocan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Caloocan and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 66% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Caloocan, where all-in costs run around $675, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Caloocan 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. Caloocan costs $675 versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Caloocan. 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.