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: $849 in Dumaguete versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,324 in Dumaguete versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,799 in Dumaguete versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dumaguete costs roughly 34% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dumaguete 37% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 ₱193

$11.94 MX$209

-73.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.99 ₱863

$42.75 MX$748

-67.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.35 ₱269

$10.59 MX$185

-58.92%

Cappuccino

$2.22 ₱137

$3.62 MX$63.4

-38.67%

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

$0.77 ₱47.78

$1.47 MX$25.69

-47.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.47

$0.94 MX$16.51

-57.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ₱66.6

$3.09 MX$54.1

-65.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₱131

$4.46 MX$78.0

-52.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₱104

$1.43 MX$24.94

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ₱90.3

$1.88 MX$32.97

-22.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₱61.7

$1.63 MX$28.50

-38.65%

Eggs

$1.92 ₱118

$2.64 MX$46.26

-27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 ₱586

$8.21 MX$144

15.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 ₱316

$8.29 MX$145

-38.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.68 ₱474

$11.10 MX$194

-30.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ₱111

$2.65 MX$46.40

-32.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱89.5

$1.50 MX$26.26

-3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 ₱244

$1.99 MX$34.79

98.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ₱85.6

$2.08 MX$36.33

-33.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 ₱152

$1.79 MX$31.29

37.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 ₱163

$2.18 MX$38.09

21.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 ₱52.7

$1.08 MX$18.84

-21.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₱37.07

$1.04 MX$18.15

-42.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 ₱161

$3.97 MX$69.5

-34.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 ₱498

$10.20 MX$179

-20.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 ₱75.5

$1.73 MX$30.22

-29.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₱127

$2.50 MX$43.71

-17.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 ₱31.13

$0.52 MX$9.07

-3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.75 ₱539

$26.97 MX$472

-67.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.5

$3.14 MX$55.0

-73.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.74

$2.40 MX$42.04

-88.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 ₱52.5

$3.09 MX$54.0

-72.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.9

$1.27 MX$22.28

-9.45%

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

$22.9K ₱1.4M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-25.93%

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

$39.2K ₱2.4M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

68.15%

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

$72.6 ₱4,476

$82.0 MX$1,435

-11.51%

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

$44.66 ₱2,755

$22.45 MX$393

98.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.78 ₱1,775

$29.66 MX$519

-2.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.73 ₱1,464

$51.9 MX$908

-54.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.63 ₱224

$18.67 MX$327

-80.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 ₱380

$4.97 MX$87.0

24.14%

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

$72.3 ₱4,458

$198 MX$3,462

-63.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,875 ₱115.6K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-64.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 ₱6,651

$36.34 MX$636

196.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.67 ₱2,200

$40.05 MX$701

-10.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 ₱6,793

$79.9 MX$1,398

37.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ₱5,289

$88.9 MX$1,555

-3.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 ₱15.1K

$963 MX$16.9K

-74.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 ₱13.1K

$465 MX$8,133

-54.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 ₱26.8K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-72.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 ₱26.1K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-64.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,145 ₱194.0K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-20.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$702 ₱43.3K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-89.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$294 ₱18.1K

$720 MX$12.6K

-59.19%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $246 in Dumaguete and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 145% 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 $251 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 51% in total monthly costs ($849 vs $1,287 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 145% 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: $246 in Dumaguete versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $849 per month in Dumaguete versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 208% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $849 in Dumaguete versus $1,287 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 51% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.