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: $1,228 in Makati versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Makati versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Makati versus $3,374 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

$6.57 ₱411

$11.71 MX$199

-43.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.99 ₱2,501

$46.59 MX$791

-14.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ₱287

$11.65 MX$198

-60.60%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ₱173

$4.09 MX$69.5

-32.52%

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

$1.07 ₱67.2

$1.37 MX$23.34

-21.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.17

$0.83 MX$14.16

-45.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱151

$3.35 MX$56.9

-27.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱203

$6.91 MX$117

-52.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱115

$1.73 MX$29.33

5.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₱80.6

$2.26 MX$38.39

-42.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.3

$1.77 MX$30.05

-41.81%

Eggs

$2.38 ₱149

$2.73 MX$46.41

-12.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 ₱457

$9.18 MX$156

-20.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 ₱303

$8.92 MX$151

-45.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 ₱449

$12.60 MX$214

-42.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱249

$3.02 MX$51.3

31.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.57 MX$26.68

29.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 ₱204

$2.13 MX$36.10

53.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱144

$2.26 MX$38.46

2.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$2.00 MX$34.04

73.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$2.06 MX$35.06

68.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱70.0

$1.18 MX$20.04

-5.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₱69.4

$1.20 MX$20.45

-7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 ₱169

$4.63 MX$78.7

-41.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 ₱491

$10.69 MX$182

-26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱87.4

$1.62 MX$27.50

-13.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱130

$2.88 MX$48.93

-27.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₱56.1

$0.57 MX$9.74

57.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 ₱3,581

$29.83 MX$507

91.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.09

$5.45 MX$92.5

-88.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.10

$3.70 MX$62.9

-94.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱117

$5.98 MX$102

-68.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱78.3

$1.55 MX$26.38

-19.35%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$22.3K MX$379.2K

-4.76%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-24.10%

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

$154 ₱9,611

$89.1 MX$1,514

72.46%

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

$15.78 ₱987

$25.04 MX$425

-36.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.11 ₱2,008

$31.50 MX$535

1.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 ₱3,413

$67.8 MX$1,151

-19.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 ₱901

$28.92 MX$491

-50.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 ₱462

$5.05 MX$85.8

46.34%

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

$790 ₱49.4K

$225 MX$3,820

251.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,405 ₱463.0K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

75.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₱3,741

$47.44 MX$806

26.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.65 ₱2,354

$44.98 MX$764

-16.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,137

$82.0 MX$1,392

0.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₱6,468

$92.1 MX$1,564

12.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₱46.8K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-30.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₱26.9K

$405 MX$6,884

6.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 ₱142.3K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

17.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 ₱67.5K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-17.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,003 ₱375.4K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

50.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,832 ₱239.6K

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-42.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.1K

$749 MX$12.7K

-18.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

11.45

-34.50%

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

Last update for Makati: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $748 in Makati and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 23% 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: $40.00 in Makati vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $277 per month, with Makati cheaper across the board.

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.

On paper, salaries run 23% 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: $748 in Makati versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,228 per month in Makati versus $1,293 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 92% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,228 in Makati versus $1,293 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 $1,228 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.