Cost of Living Comparison Between Ligao City and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ligao City and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $730 per month in Ligao City vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,098 per month in Ligao City vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,465 per month in Ligao City vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ligao City is about 44% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ligao City and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ligao City 47% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 ₱247

$11.71 MX$199

-66.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.11 ₱1,070

$46.59 MX$791

-63.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.75 ₱172

$11.65 MX$198

-76.39%

Cappuccino

$2.15 ₱135

$4.09 MX$69.5

-47.43%

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

$0.63 ₱39.16

$1.37 MX$23.34

-54.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₱21.32

$0.83 MX$14.16

-59.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ₱67.9

$3.35 MX$56.9

-67.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₱119

$6.91 MX$117

-72.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ₱101

$1.73 MX$29.33

-6.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ₱69.9

$2.26 MX$38.39

-50.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ₱57.6

$1.77 MX$30.05

-48.02%

Eggs

$1.89 ₱118

$2.73 MX$46.41

-30.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.25 ₱328

$9.18 MX$156

-42.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 ₱266

$8.92 MX$151

-52.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.93 ₱433

$12.60 MX$214

-45.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 ₱143

$3.02 MX$51.3

-24.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₱99.5

$1.57 MX$26.68

1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ₱151

$2.13 MX$36.10

13.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ₱73.4

$2.26 MX$38.46

-48.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 ₱131

$2.00 MX$34.04

5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 ₱127

$2.06 MX$35.06

-0.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 ₱51.4

$1.18 MX$20.04

-30.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱35.00

$1.20 MX$20.45

-53.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 ₱175

$4.63 MX$78.7

-39.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 ₱505

$10.69 MX$182

-24.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₱58.4

$1.62 MX$27.50

-42.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₱122

$2.88 MX$48.93

-32.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₱14.61

$0.57 MX$9.74

-59.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.04 ₱628

$29.83 MX$507

-66.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 ₱49.75

$5.45 MX$92.5

-85.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.43

$3.70 MX$62.9

-93.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₱117

$5.98 MX$102

-68.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₱70.3

$1.55 MX$26.38

-27.74%

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

$23.4K ₱1.5M

$22.3K MX$379.2K

4.99%

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

$18.0K ₱1.1M

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-30.79%

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

$122 ₱7,615

$89.1 MX$1,514

36.63%

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

$16.63 ₱1,040

$25.04 MX$425

-33.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.57 ₱1,536

$31.50 MX$535

-22.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.71 ₱1,983

$67.8 MX$1,151

-53.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.92 ₱307

$28.92 MX$491

-82.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.24 ₱328

$5.05 MX$85.8

3.76%

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

$135 ₱8,438

$225 MX$3,820

-40.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,059 ₱503.9K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

90.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.61 ₱2,039

$47.44 MX$806

-31.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.35 ₱1,210

$44.98 MX$764

-56.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 ₱4,481

$82.0 MX$1,392

-12.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 ₱3,553

$92.1 MX$1,564

-38.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₱16.8K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-74.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 ₱10.6K

$405 MX$6,884

-58.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 ₱31.3K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-74.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ₱21.6K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-73.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,586 ₱161.7K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-35.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,026 ₱64.1K

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-84.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$274 ₱17.1K

$749 MX$12.7K

-63.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

11.45

-41.05%

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

Last update for Ligao City: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $269 in Ligao City versus $1,069 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 174% 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 $17.00 in Ligao City versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $277 – making Ligao City 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 77%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,095 per month in Ligao City and $1,940 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 Ligao City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Ligao City and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ligao City, where all-in costs run around $730, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Ligao City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ligao City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ligao City. 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.