Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manila and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Manila: $945 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Manila
Learn more

Manila Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

$945

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manila and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manila and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $945 per month in Manila vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Manila $945
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $1,572 per month in Manila vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Manila $1,572
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $2,199 per month in Manila vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Manila $2,199
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Manila is about 22% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Manila and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Manila 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 ₱340

$10.92 MX$205

-51.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.46 ₱1,684

$43.37 MX$814

-38.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ₱250

$11.78 MX$221

-66.64%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₱161

$3.81 MX$71.5

-33.60%

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

$1.35 ₱85.9

$1.28 MX$24.07

5.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₱52.0

$0.78 MX$14.70

5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ₱72.6

$3.17 MX$59.5

-64.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₱151

$4.93 MX$92.7

-51.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱121

$1.41 MX$26.40

35.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ₱91.7

$2.22 MX$41.62

-35.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₱60.1

$1.42 MX$26.61

-33.80%

Eggs

$2.30 ₱147

$2.52 MX$47.36

-8.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 ₱472

$7.26 MX$136

2.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱294

$7.70 MX$144

-40.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.65 ₱423

$12.69 MX$238

-47.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ₱210

$2.78 MX$52.3

18.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱114

$1.37 MX$25.68

31.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 ₱191

$2.55 MX$47.89

17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 ₱112

$2.12 MX$39.86

-16.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 ₱141

$1.94 MX$36.39

14.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 ₱169

$1.89 MX$35.41

40.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 ₱136

$1.15 MX$21.53

86.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.99

$1.18 MX$22.13

-55.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 ₱195

$4.30 MX$80.6

-28.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.57 ₱609

$9.95 MX$187

-3.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₱83.0

$1.58 MX$29.73

-17.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱127

$2.67 MX$50.1

-25.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₱25.73

$0.55 MX$10.39

-27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.75 ₱812

$26.62 MX$500

-52.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 ₱45.79

$4.97 MX$93.3

-85.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.66

$3.33 MX$62.5

-93.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₱117

$5.36 MX$101

-65.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₱80.7

$1.44 MX$27.11

-11.81%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$20.7K MX$388.0K

0.22%

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

$18.7K ₱1.2M

$23.5K MX$440.5K

-20.45%

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

$120 ₱7,611

$84.8 MX$1,592

41.04%

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

$15.69 ₱999

$23.41 MX$439

-32.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.60 ₱1,502

$28.66 MX$538

-17.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.57 ₱2,709

$57.1 MX$1,071

-25.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.65 ₱360

$28.91 MX$543

-80.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ₱414

$5.14 MX$96.5

26.46%

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

$599 ₱38.1K

$207 MX$3,878

189.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,818 ₱561.2K

$3,927 MX$73.7K

124.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ₱3,607

$43.35 MX$814

30.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.40 ₱1,744

$41.44 MX$778

-33.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 ₱4,859

$74.2 MX$1,393

2.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.5 ₱3,533

$89.3 MX$1,676

-37.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 ₱33.5K

$980 MX$18.4K

-46.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ₱18.9K

$381 MX$7,150

-22.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 ₱120.1K

$1,708 MX$32.1K

10.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$816 ₱51.9K

$1,075 MX$20.2K

-24.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,968 ₱252.6K

$3,943 MX$74.0K

0.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,366 ₱150.6K

$6,158 MX$115.6K

-61.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$466 ₱29.7K

$735 MX$13.8K

-36.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.43

11.45

-35.11%

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

Last update for Manila: October 24, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Manila

$297 31.4%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 28.3% $84

Groceries & Markets

Manila

$216 22.9%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 17.8% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manila

$159 16.8%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 13.9% $22

Eating Out

Manila

$104 11%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 94.5% $98

Clothing & Footwear

Manila

$97 10.3%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 15% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Manila

$56 5.9%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 21.1% $12

Getting Around

Manila

$16 1.7%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 211% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $526 in Manila versus $980 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 58% higher in Playa del Carmen. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26 in Manila versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $255 – making Manila the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Manila

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

16:35 4:35 PM

03:35 3:35 AM

13 h behind Manila

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,780,148 Capital

149,923

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 63.64 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.06 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Manila Playa del Carmen 15,040 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Manila
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $945 in Manila, $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – Manila comes out roughly 22% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,418 per month in Manila and $1,806 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 Manila, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $526 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $945 in Manila and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Manila about 22% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 52% less in Manila. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Manila, where all-in costs run around $945, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Manila 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. Manila costs $945 versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Manila. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.