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 $580 per month in Manado vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $887 per month in Manado vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,194 per month in Manado vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Manado is about 54% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Manado and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Manado 56% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

$11.72 MX$204

-89.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.03 Rp 163.3K

$41.89 MX$731

-78.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.08 Rp 55.8K

$10.51 MX$183

-70.69%

Cappuccino

$1.68 Rp 30.4K

$3.59 MX$62.5

-53.20%

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

$0.32 Rp 5,829

$1.51 MX$26.31

-78.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,707

$0.92 MX$15.96

-71.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 Rp 64.9K

$2.96 MX$51.6

21.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 Rp 108.4K

$4.41 MX$76.9

36.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 Rp 21.3K

$1.40 MX$24.35

-15.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 Rp 16.2K

$1.88 MX$32.87

-52.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 Rp 14.2K

$1.56 MX$27.19

-50.00%

Eggs

$1.79 Rp 32.4K

$2.61 MX$45.50

-31.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 Rp 147.5K

$8.32 MX$145

-1.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.15 Rp 56.9K

$8.35 MX$146

-62.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 Rp 142.8K

$10.86 MX$189

-27.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.6K

$2.71 MX$47.31

1.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

$1.51 MX$26.25

-3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

$1.87 MX$32.67

1.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$2.19 MX$38.19

-38.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 Rp 25.1K

$1.86 MX$32.40

-25.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

$2.23 MX$38.90

-15.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.5K

$1.07 MX$18.63

-9.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 8,000

$1.09 MX$18.94

-59.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

$4.19 MX$73.0

-43.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.43 Rp 369.3K

$10.43 MX$182

95.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Rp 32.0K

$1.66 MX$28.91

6.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 Rp 57.5K

$2.61 MX$45.56

21.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 Rp 6,412

$0.54 MX$9.45

-35.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.73 Rp 175.9K

$26.16 MX$456

-62.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,514

$3.08 MX$53.7

-82.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 Rp 6,717

$2.40 MX$41.94

-84.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 Rp 52.5K

$3.13 MX$54.5

-7.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

$1.31 MX$22.87

-36.64%

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

$24.5K Rp 443.1M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-17.80%

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

$28.0K Rp 506.1M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

20.02%

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

$24.74 Rp 447.4K

$81.3 MX$1,418

-69.56%

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

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

$22.56 MX$393

-80.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.31 Rp 403.4K

$30.05 MX$524

-25.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.33 Rp 331.5K

$52.9 MX$923

-65.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.11 Rp 110.4K

$18.39 MX$321

-66.78%

Cinema Ticket

$2.62 Rp 47.4K

$4.92 MX$85.8

-46.75%

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

$94.9 Rp 1.7M

$201 MX$3,502

-52.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,231 Rp 94.6M

$5,175 MX$90.2K

1.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 Rp 1.1M

$35.92 MX$627

70.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.26 Rp 438.7K

$40.13 MX$700

-39.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

$79.7 MX$1,390

19.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 Rp 1.3M

$86.5 MX$1,508

-15.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 Rp 5.9M

$978 MX$17.1K

-66.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.8 Rp 1.8M

$470 MX$8,206

-78.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 Rp 6.0M

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-79.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 Rp 3.4M

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-84.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,132 Rp 20.5M

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-71.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$698 Rp 12.6M

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-89.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$210 Rp 3.8M

$677 MX$11.8K

-68.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-12.43%

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

Last update for Manado: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $324 in Manado versus $978 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 222% 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 $9.00 in Manado versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $252 – 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 117%, 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 $871 per month in Manado and $1,890 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.

Public transport costs about 169% less in Manado. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $94.9 per month in Manado 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Manado, where all-in costs run around $580, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.