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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $531 per month in Madang vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,183 per month in Madang vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,834 per month in Madang vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Madang is about 58% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Madang and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Madang 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.81 PGK 29.94

$11.99 MX$210

-43.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.42 PGK 169

$41.78 MX$733

-8.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 PGK 46.75

$10.75 MX$189

-1.12%

Cappuccino

$2.46 PGK 10.83

$3.50 MX$61.3

-29.71%

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

$1.19 PGK 5.22

$1.45 MX$25.41

-17.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 PGK 3.33

$0.88 MX$15.52

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 PGK 12.87

$2.95 MX$51.7

-1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 PGK 19.20

$4.51 MX$79.1

-3.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 PGK 8.65

$1.43 MX$25.12

37.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 PGK 6.46

$1.84 MX$32.23

-20.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 PGK 6.20

$1.57 MX$27.51

-10.19%

Eggs

$3.40 PGK 14.97

$2.51 MX$44.06

35.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 PGK 24.65

$8.43 MX$148

-33.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.37 PGK 36.84

$10.68 MX$187

-21.63%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 PGK 23.01

$2.61 MX$45.76

100.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 PGK 10.70

$1.44 MX$25.22

68.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 PGK 4.39

$1.96 MX$34.41

-48.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 PGK 8.30

$2.09 MX$36.74

-9.57%

Potato (1kg)

$4.78 PGK 21.03

$1.85 MX$32.47

158.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 PGK 12.95

$2.17 MX$38.02

35.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.96 PGK 26.23

$1.03 MX$18.09

478.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 PGK 2.21

$1.07 MX$18.84

-53.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.17 PGK 22.75

$4.10 MX$72.0

26.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 PGK 9.27

$1.68 MX$29.38

25.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 PGK 10.46

$2.53 MX$44.31

-5.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 PGK 4.70

$1.32 MX$23.17

-18.94%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

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

$68.4 PGK 301

$82.0 MX$1,439

-16.61%

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

$22.95 MX$403

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.39 PGK 107

$30.11 MX$528

-19.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

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

$80.1 PGK 352

$197 MX$3,463

-59.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,952 PGK 26.2K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

11.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.02 PGK 83.7

$35.60 MX$624

-46.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.14 PGK 62.2

$40.33 MX$707

-64.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 PGK 296

$78.8 MX$1,381

-14.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.64 PGK 126

$88.9 MX$1,560

-67.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$942 PGK 4,146

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-42.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 PGK 2,657

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-50.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Madang: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Madang versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $249 – making Madang 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 136% more than Madang, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $797 per month in Madang and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Madang and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 Madang, where all-in costs run around $531, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Madang 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. Madang costs $531 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Madang. 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.