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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $559 per month in Manado vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $891 per month in Manado vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,222 per month in Manado vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Manado is about 56% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Manado and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Manado 59% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$11.60 MX$199

-88.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.27 Rp 305.4K

$47.11 MX$808

-63.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.75 Rp 48.7K

$11.88 MX$204

-76.85%

Cappuccino

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

$3.98 MX$68.2

-53.77%

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

$0.58 Rp 10.2K

$1.43 MX$24.46

-59.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 Rp 4,208

$0.82 MX$14.14

-70.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 Rp 61.5K

$3.19 MX$54.7

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 Rp 48.6K

$6.79 MX$116

-59.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 Rp 25.1K

$1.68 MX$28.72

-15.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$2.20 MX$37.67

-49.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

$1.71 MX$29.29

-56.73%

Eggs

$1.97 Rp 34.8K

$2.74 MX$46.99

-28.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.35 Rp 306.7K

$9.58 MX$164

81.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.88 Rp 50.9K

$9.01 MX$154

-68.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.35 Rp 112.3K

$12.81 MX$220

-50.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$2.89 MX$49.52

-20.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.2K

$1.50 MX$25.67

2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 Rp 23.9K

$2.15 MX$36.83

-37.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

$2.26 MX$38.74

-57.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.98 MX$33.96

-59.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 Rp 49.9K

$1.99 MX$34.11

41.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 Rp 13.2K

$1.23 MX$21.16

-39.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,706

$1.20 MX$20.52

-63.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 Rp 42.4K

$4.55 MX$78.0

-47.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.77 Rp 367.3K

$10.37 MX$178

100.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 Rp 32.4K

$1.62 MX$27.76

12.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 Rp 52.2K

$2.88 MX$49.39

2.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,242

$0.60 MX$10.29

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,348

$5.39 MX$92.4

-90.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 Rp 5,762

$3.73 MX$63.9

-91.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 Rp 51.5K

$5.77 MX$98.9

-49.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 Rp 10.8K

$1.54 MX$26.34

-60.39%

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

$24.2K Rp 428.7M

$22.5K MX$386.6K

7.52%

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

$31.3K Rp 553.4M

$26.1K MX$446.7K

20.12%

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

$54.2 Rp 958.4K

$91.4 MX$1,567

-40.69%

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

$4.37 Rp 77.3K

$25.20 MX$432

-82.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.92 Rp 246.1K

$31.24 MX$536

-55.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.01 Rp 230.1K

$67.2 MX$1,152

-80.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.34 Rp 147.4K

$29.11 MX$499

-71.35%

Cinema Ticket

$2.51 Rp 44.4K

$4.86 MX$83.4

-48.35%

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

$127 Rp 2.3M

$224 MX$3,834

-43.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,723 Rp 83.5M

$4,229 MX$72.5K

11.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 Rp 1.0M

$47.10 MX$808

20.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.47 Rp 362.0K

$44.29 MX$759

-53.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 Rp 1.3M

$80.1 MX$1,373

-11.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.8 Rp 1.1M

$92.7 MX$1,589

-30.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 Rp 4.5M

$1,063 MX$18.2K

-76.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.5 Rp 1.5M

$390 MX$6,690

-78.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 Rp 5.5M

$2,149 MX$36.8K

-85.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 Rp 3.1M

$1,272 MX$21.8K

-86.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,197 Rp 21.2M

$4,001 MX$68.6K

-70.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$6,502 MX$111.5K

-89.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 Rp 3.8M

$758 MX$13.0K

-71.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-12.66%

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

Last update for Manado: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Manado versus $1,063 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 256% 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 $17.00 in Manado versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $276 – making Manado 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 126%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $839 per month in Manado and $1,899 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 Manado, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Manado and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Manado, where all-in costs run around $559, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Manado it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Manado – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Manado. 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.