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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $854 in Dumaguete versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Dumaguete versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,798 in Dumaguete versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dumaguete costs roughly 33% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dumaguete 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 ₱188

$11.87 MX$204

-73.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.94 ₱847

$42.90 MX$736

-67.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.52 ₱275

$10.65 MX$183

-57.56%

Cappuccino

$2.24 ₱136

$3.45 MX$59.2

-35.07%

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

$0.71 ₱43.27

$1.50 MX$25.81

-52.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₱21.93

$0.95 MX$16.28

-62.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ₱66.3

$3.03 MX$51.9

-64.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₱127

$4.61 MX$79.1

-54.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 ₱103

$1.38 MX$23.61

23.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱87.1

$1.85 MX$31.70

-22.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱59.2

$1.61 MX$27.65

-39.75%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱121

$2.59 MX$44.51

-22.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 ₱572

$8.26 MX$142

13.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 ₱309

$8.37 MX$144

-39.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.04 ₱488

$10.66 MX$183

-24.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ₱108

$2.63 MX$45.12

-32.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱87.9

$1.49 MX$25.53

-2.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 ₱247

$1.92 MX$32.94

111.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ₱88.0

$2.09 MX$35.81

-30.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 ₱144

$1.86 MX$31.88

27.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 ₱159

$2.26 MX$38.81

15.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ₱54.9

$1.06 MX$18.23

-15.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₱36.60

$1.09 MX$18.67

-44.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 ₱159

$4.15 MX$71.2

-36.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱487

$10.39 MX$178

-22.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 ₱74.8

$1.72 MX$29.59

-28.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₱120

$2.61 MX$44.85

-24.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ₱28.43

$0.54 MX$9.30

-12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.97 ₱544

$26.94 MX$462

-66.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱50.1

$3.13 MX$53.7

-73.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.00

$2.51 MX$43.09

-90.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 ₱55.1

$3.15 MX$54.1

-71.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱69.8

$1.27 MX$21.88

-9.45%

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

$23.2K ₱1.4M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-23.60%

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

$39.1K ₱2.4M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

65.72%

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

$73.2 ₱4,443

$83.0 MX$1,425

-11.86%

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

$44.75 ₱2,718

$22.71 MX$390

97.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.04 ₱1,763

$29.46 MX$506

-1.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.81 ₱1,446

$51.0 MX$875

-53.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.65 ₱221

$18.33 MX$315

-80.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.24 ₱379

$4.93 MX$84.5

26.57%

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

$72.5 ₱4,401

$197 MX$3,386

-63.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,825 ₱110.8K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-65.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 ₱6,510

$36.90 MX$633

190.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.05 ₱2,189

$39.89 MX$685

-9.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 ₱6,597

$80.0 MX$1,373

35.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.8 ₱5,028

$89.5 MX$1,536

-7.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 ₱15.0K

$956 MX$16.4K

-74.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 ₱12.7K

$477 MX$8,189

-56.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ₱26.9K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-73.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 ₱25.4K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-65.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,067 ₱186.2K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-21.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$698 ₱42.4K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-89.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$291 ₱17.7K

$667 MX$11.4K

-56.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

11.42

-43.08%

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

Last update for Dumaguete: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $247 in Dumaguete and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 129% 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: $14.00 in Dumaguete vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $250 per month, with Dumaguete 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

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

Dumaguete and Playa del Carmen differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($854 vs $1,271 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 129% less. 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: $247 in Dumaguete versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $854 per month in Dumaguete versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 200% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $854 in Dumaguete versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dumaguete but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Dumaguete 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, Dumaguete and Playa del Carmen 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 Dumaguete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.