Cost of Living Comparison Between Island Garden City of Samal and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Island Garden City of Samal and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $719 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,097 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,476 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Island Garden City of Samal is about 44% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Island Garden City of Samal and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Island Garden City of Samal 46% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.31 ₱80.2

$11.94 MX$208

-89.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.51 ₱765

$42.75 MX$744

-70.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.47 ₱274

$10.59 MX$184

-57.79%

Cappuccino

$2.13 ₱131

$3.62 MX$63.0

-41.16%

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

$0.81 ₱49.69

$1.47 MX$25.54

-44.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱32.45

$0.94 MX$16.41

-43.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ₱88.8

$3.09 MX$53.8

-53.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₱111

$4.46 MX$77.6

-59.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₱74.3

$1.43 MX$24.80

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ₱36.60

$1.88 MX$32.79

-68.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 ₱42.18

$1.63 MX$28.34

-57.67%

Eggs

$2.05 ₱126

$2.64 MX$45.99

-22.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.88 ₱360

$8.21 MX$143

-28.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 ₱199

$8.29 MX$144

-60.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.27 ₱323

$11.10 MX$193

-52.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 ₱177

$2.65 MX$46.14

9.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ₱69.4

$1.50 MX$26.11

-24.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ₱140

$1.99 MX$34.59

15.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ₱77.6

$2.08 MX$36.13

-38.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ₱141

$1.79 MX$31.11

28.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 ₱96.4

$2.18 MX$37.87

-27.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ₱55.3

$1.08 MX$18.73

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱30.46

$1.04 MX$18.04

-51.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 ₱161

$3.97 MX$69.1

-33.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₱500

$10.20 MX$178

-19.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₱76.0

$1.73 MX$30.04

-28.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 ₱74.5

$2.50 MX$43.46

-51.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.21

$0.52 MX$9.02

-46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 ₱42.16

$3.14 MX$54.7

-78.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.09 ₱5.78

$2.40 MX$41.80

-96.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱132

$3.09 MX$53.7

-29.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱70.1

$1.27 MX$22.16

-9.45%

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

$21.9K ₱1.3M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-28.93%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-10.91%

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

$100 ₱6,125

$82.0 MX$1,427

22.08%

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

$34.22 ₱2,094

$22.45 MX$391

52.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.41 ₱2,227

$29.66 MX$516

22.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.49 ₱2,110

$51.9 MX$903

-33.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.36 ₱267

$18.67 MX$325

-76.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 ₱268

$4.97 MX$86.5

-11.67%

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

$120 ₱7,321

$198 MX$3,442

-39.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,354 ₱266.4K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-17.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.40 ₱2,839

$36.34 MX$632

27.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.67 ₱1,815

$40.05 MX$697

-25.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 ₱4,672

$79.9 MX$1,390

-4.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 ₱4,235

$88.9 MX$1,547

-22.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₱16.0K

$963 MX$16.8K

-72.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 ₱10.8K

$465 MX$8,086

-62.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 ₱36.4K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-62.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ₱24.6K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-66.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,083 ₱127.5K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-47.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.56

11.42

-16.29%

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

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Island Garden City of Samal 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $160 vs $251 – making Island Garden City of Samal 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

Island Garden City of Samal vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 79% more than Island Garden City of Samal, 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 $1,078 per month in Island Garden City of Samal 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 Island Garden City of Samal, 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 Island Garden City of Samal 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 56% 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 Island Garden City of Samal, where all-in costs run around $719, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Island Garden City of Samal 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. Island Garden City of Samal costs $719 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 Island Garden City of Samal. 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.