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: $1,188 in Makati versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Makati versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Makati versus $3,017 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 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 ₱402

$11.99 MX$210

-45.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.00 ₱2,770

$41.78 MX$733

7.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.79 ₱295

$10.75 MX$189

-55.44%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ₱181

$3.50 MX$61.3

-15.71%

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

$1.20 ₱73.8

$1.45 MX$25.41

-17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₱35.43

$0.88 MX$15.52

-34.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₱144

$2.95 MX$51.7

-20.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 ₱219

$4.51 MX$79.1

-21.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₱132

$1.43 MX$25.12

49.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱88.1

$1.84 MX$32.23

-22.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.6

$1.57 MX$27.51

-29.30%

Eggs

$2.33 ₱144

$2.51 MX$44.06

-7.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 ₱492

$8.28 MX$145

-3.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 ₱279

$8.43 MX$148

-46.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 ₱475

$10.68 MX$187

-27.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 ₱279

$2.61 MX$45.76

73.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 ₱122

$1.44 MX$25.22

37.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₱168

$1.96 MX$34.41

38.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 ₱141

$2.09 MX$36.74

9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 ₱212

$1.85 MX$32.47

86.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₱173

$2.17 MX$38.02

29.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₱70.0

$1.03 MX$18.09

10.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₱60.7

$1.07 MX$18.84

-7.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 ₱184

$4.10 MX$72.0

-27.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 ₱493

$10.17 MX$178

-21.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 ₱76.9

$1.68 MX$29.38

-25.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.53 MX$44.31

-11.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₱31.57

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.58 ₱220

$26.04 MX$457

-86.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₱47.05

$3.23 MX$56.7

-76.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.13 ₱8.20

$2.41 MX$42.19

-94.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ₱212

$3.23 MX$56.6

6.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₱71.0

$1.32 MX$23.17

-12.88%

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

$34.1K ₱2.1M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

14.70%

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

$22.0K ₱1.4M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-6.92%

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

$170 ₱10.4K

$82.0 MX$1,439

106.89%

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

$27.66 ₱1,703

$22.95 MX$403

20.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.79 ₱2,203

$30.11 MX$528

18.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ₱3,371

$52.0 MX$912

5.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 ₱741

$18.53 MX$325

-35.08%

Cinema Ticket

$8.20 ₱505

$4.98 MX$87.3

64.66%

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

$324 ₱20.0K

$197 MX$3,463

64.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 ₱472.8K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

43.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₱3,628

$35.60 MX$624

65.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 ₱2,209

$40.33 MX$707

-11.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ₱5,174

$78.8 MX$1,381

6.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ₱7,609

$88.9 MX$1,560

38.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ₱40.4K

$947 MX$16.6K

-30.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ₱24.0K

$474 MX$8,314

-17.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 ₱139.9K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

38.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 ₱62.0K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-16.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,013 ₱370.2K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

48.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,732 ₱229.8K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-42.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₱37.3K

$654 MX$11.5K

-7.45%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Makati and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Makati vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $235 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 6% 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.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $657 in Makati versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,188 per month in Makati versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Makati runs roughly 627% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,188 in Makati versus $1,256 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 $1,188 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 6% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.