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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Makati versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,009 in Makati versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,786 in Makati versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Makati costs roughly 5% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Makati 8% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 ₱419

$11.73 MX$203

-42.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.15 ₱2,784

$41.62 MX$720

8.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ₱304

$10.64 MX$184

-53.67%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₱177

$3.52 MX$60.9

-18.47%

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

$1.19 ₱73.5

$1.51 MX$26.12

-21.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₱34.76

$0.97 MX$16.84

-42.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ₱151

$2.95 MX$51.0

-17.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₱225

$4.45 MX$77.0

-17.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.38 MX$23.93

55.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.4

$1.89 MX$32.72

-24.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 ₱66.5

$1.64 MX$28.32

-34.15%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.51 MX$43.34

-6.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 ₱503

$8.34 MX$144

-2.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 ₱273

$8.34 MX$144

-46.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 ₱471

$10.73 MX$186

-28.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 ₱282

$2.60 MX$45.04

75.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ₱118

$1.46 MX$25.20

31.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ₱166

$1.90 MX$32.87

42.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 ₱139

$2.08 MX$35.91

8.17%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$1.78 MX$30.71

84.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 ₱177

$2.19 MX$37.80

30.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.8

$1.04 MX$17.99

3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱61.3

$1.08 MX$18.62

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ₱181

$4.08 MX$70.6

-27.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱511

$10.32 MX$178

-19.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₱74.1

$1.71 MX$29.61

-29.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$2.58 MX$44.54

-9.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.71

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱221

$26.46 MX$458

-86.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱50.0

$3.26 MX$56.4

-75.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₱7.44

$2.49 MX$43.09

-95.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ₱221

$3.25 MX$56.2

10.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$1.31 MX$22.61

-16.03%

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

$34.3K ₱2.1M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

13.20%

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

$21.5K ₱1.3M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-8.25%

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

$172 ₱10.6K

$82.9 MX$1,433

107.58%

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

$26.94 ₱1,661

$22.22 MX$384

21.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.49 ₱2,250

$29.34 MX$507

24.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 ₱3,452

$51.6 MX$893

8.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.79 ₱727

$18.32 MX$317

-35.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₱487

$5.07 MX$87.6

55.82%

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

$321 ₱19.8K

$201 MX$3,473

59.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 ₱464.8K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

44.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 ₱3,717

$36.92 MX$639

63.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₱2,197

$39.79 MX$688

-10.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 ₱5,277

$78.5 MX$1,357

9.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₱7,516

$87.1 MX$1,506

39.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₱41.1K

$973 MX$16.8K

-31.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$468 MX$8,090

-16.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 ₱139.4K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

37.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,024 ₱63.1K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-16.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,010 ₱370.6K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

52.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 ₱237.5K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-40.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$682 ₱42.0K

$664 MX$11.5K

2.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.42

-41.59%

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

Last update for Makati: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $666 in Makati and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $249, with Makati cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Makati wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makati the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Makati pays 3% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $666 in Makati versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Makati versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Makati runs roughly 639% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,232 in Makati versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Makati but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Makati the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Makati delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makati hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati 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 Makati gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.