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 $526 per month in Madang vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,166 per month in Madang vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,805 per month in Madang vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Madang is about 59% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Madang and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Madang 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.70 PGK 29.22

$11.73 MX$203

-42.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.78 PGK 165

$41.62 MX$720

-9.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 PGK 47.83

$10.64 MX$184

3.10%

Cappuccino

$2.35 PGK 10.23

$3.52 MX$60.9

-33.24%

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

$1.23 PGK 5.38

$1.51 MX$26.12

-18.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 PGK 3.05

$0.97 MX$16.84

-27.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 PGK 12.67

$2.95 MX$51.0

-1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 PGK 19.15

$4.45 MX$77.0

-1.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 PGK 8.22

$1.38 MX$23.93

36.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 PGK 6.33

$1.89 MX$32.72

-23.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 PGK 6.14

$1.64 MX$28.32

-14.02%

Eggs

$3.34 PGK 14.55

$2.51 MX$43.34

33.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.71 PGK 24.90

$8.34 MX$144

-31.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.14 PGK 35.49

$10.73 MX$186

-24.14%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 PGK 22.48

$2.60 MX$45.04

98.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 PGK 10.39

$1.46 MX$25.20

63.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 PGK 4.31

$1.90 MX$32.87

-47.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 PGK 8.61

$2.08 MX$35.91

-5.29%

Potato (1kg)

$4.88 PGK 21.30

$1.78 MX$30.71

174.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 PGK 12.29

$2.19 MX$37.80

28.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.91 PGK 25.76

$1.04 MX$17.99

468.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 PGK 2.04

$1.08 MX$18.62

-56.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.08 PGK 22.15

$4.08 MX$70.6

24.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 PGK 9.31

$1.71 MX$29.61

24.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 PGK 10.75

$2.58 MX$44.54

-4.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 PGK 4.82

$1.31 MX$22.61

-15.27%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$67.8 PGK 296

$82.9 MX$1,433

-18.15%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.17 PGK 105

$29.34 MX$507

-17.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$78.9 PGK 344

$201 MX$3,473

-60.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,046 PGK 26.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

16.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.45 PGK 84.8

$36.92 MX$639

-47.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.56 PGK 63.5

$39.79 MX$688

-63.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 PGK 288

$78.5 MX$1,357

-15.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.07 PGK 127

$87.1 MX$1,506

-66.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 PGK 4,175

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-41.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 PGK 2,664

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-49.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 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: $224 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 146% 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 $789 per month in Madang and $1,945 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 11% 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 $526, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $526 versus $1,297 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.