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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $632 per month in Mambajao vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,001 per month in Mambajao vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,370 per month in Mambajao vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mambajao is about 51% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mambajao and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Mambajao 53% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.55 ₱95.6

$11.73 MX$203

-86.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.49 ₱1,634

$41.62 MX$720

-36.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 ₱272

$10.64 MX$184

-58.55%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ₱187

$3.52 MX$60.9

-13.64%

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

$1.41 ₱86.9

$1.51 MX$26.12

-6.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₱47.77

$0.97 MX$16.84

-20.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ₱69.2

$2.95 MX$51.0

-62.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ₱168

$4.45 MX$77.0

-38.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱82.0

$1.38 MX$23.93

-3.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 ₱55.9

$1.89 MX$32.72

-51.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₱54.1

$1.64 MX$28.32

-46.34%

Eggs

$1.41 ₱87.0

$2.51 MX$43.34

-43.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 ₱490

$8.34 MX$144

-4.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.21 ₱260

$8.34 MX$144

-49.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 ₱405

$10.73 MX$186

-38.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ₱184

$2.60 MX$45.04

14.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 ₱83.0

$1.46 MX$25.20

-7.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ₱167

$1.90 MX$32.87

42.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ₱98.3

$2.08 MX$35.91

-23.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 ₱147

$1.78 MX$30.71

34.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ₱161

$2.19 MX$37.80

18.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱68.9

$1.04 MX$17.99

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱44.64

$1.08 MX$18.62

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 ₱180

$4.08 MX$70.6

-28.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.16 ₱503

$10.32 MX$178

-20.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₱66.2

$1.71 MX$29.61

-37.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱80.3

$2.58 MX$44.54

-49.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₱12.31

$0.51 MX$8.81

-60.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.4

$3.26 MX$56.4

-74.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.52

$2.49 MX$43.09

-91.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱134

$3.25 MX$56.2

-33.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₱86.8

$1.31 MX$22.61

7.63%

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

$27.1K ₱1.7M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-10.52%

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

$20.2K ₱1.2M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-13.87%

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

$84.0 ₱5,181

$82.9 MX$1,433

1.40%

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

$32.13 ₱1,981

$22.22 MX$384

44.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.09 ₱1,362

$29.34 MX$507

-24.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.64 ₱2,074

$51.6 MX$893

-34.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.49 ₱277

$18.32 MX$317

-75.49%

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 ₱362

$5.07 MX$87.6

15.78%

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

$150 ₱9,227

$201 MX$3,473

-25.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,285 ₱264.2K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-17.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.28 ₱2,792

$36.92 MX$639

22.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.22 ₱1,617

$39.79 MX$688

-34.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 ₱4,648

$78.5 MX$1,357

-3.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.3 ₱3,284

$87.1 MX$1,506

-38.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$132 ₱8,138

$973 MX$16.8K

-86.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.0 ₱5,363

$468 MX$8,090

-81.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$293 ₱18.1K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-82.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 ₱11.8K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-84.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,460 ₱151.7K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-37.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$885 ₱54.6K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-86.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$154 ₱9,498

$664 MX$11.5K

-76.80%

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 Mambajao: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $132 in Mambajao versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 331% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Mambajao versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $249 – making Mambajao 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 105% more than Mambajao, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $948 per month in Mambajao and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mambajao, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $632 in Mambajao and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $150 per month in Mambajao and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mambajao, where all-in costs run around $632, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Mambajao 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. Mambajao costs $632 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mambajao. 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.