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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $788 per month in Negros vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,231 per month in Negros vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,674 per month in Negros vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Negros is about 37% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Negros and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Negros 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.54 ₱217

$11.72 MX$204

-69.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.56 ₱832

$41.89 MX$731

-67.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.05 ₱187

$10.51 MX$183

-70.98%

Cappuccino

$1.56 ₱95.9

$3.59 MX$62.5

-56.55%

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

$0.33 ₱20.49

$1.51 MX$26.31

-78.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₱26.24

$0.92 MX$15.96

-53.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ₱83.4

$2.96 MX$51.6

-54.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ₱134

$4.41 MX$76.9

-50.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₱135

$1.40 MX$24.35

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ₱96.3

$1.88 MX$32.87

-16.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱68.2

$1.56 MX$27.19

-28.85%

Eggs

$2.34 ₱144

$2.61 MX$45.50

-10.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.07 ₱802

$8.32 MX$145

57.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.39 ₱331

$8.35 MX$146

-35.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 ₱460

$10.86 MX$189

-31.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 ₱214

$2.71 MX$47.31

28.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₱92.1

$1.51 MX$26.25

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 ₱204

$1.87 MX$32.67

78.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₱139

$2.19 MX$38.19

3.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 ₱159

$1.86 MX$32.40

38.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ₱155

$2.23 MX$38.90

13.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ₱56.9

$1.07 MX$18.63

-13.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.63

$1.09 MX$18.94

-27.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 ₱199

$4.19 MX$73.0

-22.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱395

$10.43 MX$182

-38.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.5

$1.66 MX$28.91

-30.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱143

$2.61 MX$45.56

-10.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.77

$0.54 MX$9.45

-51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 ₱52.8

$3.08 MX$53.7

-72.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.47

$2.40 MX$41.94

-89.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ₱160

$3.13 MX$54.5

-16.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱69.6

$1.31 MX$22.87

-13.74%

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

$30.7K ₱1.9M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

3.09%

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

$27.5K ₱1.7M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

18.00%

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

$98.3 ₱6,036

$81.3 MX$1,418

20.95%

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

$33.77 ₱2,074

$22.56 MX$393

49.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.29 ₱1,798

$30.05 MX$524

-2.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.11 ₱2,094

$52.9 MX$923

-35.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.36 ₱267

$18.39 MX$321

-76.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 ₱361

$4.92 MX$85.8

19.51%

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

$235 ₱14.4K

$201 MX$3,502

16.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,884 ₱238.5K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-24.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.07 ₱2,828

$35.92 MX$627

28.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.31 ₱1,431

$40.13 MX$700

-41.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 ₱4,610

$79.7 MX$1,390

-5.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.4 ₱3,464

$86.5 MX$1,508

-34.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₱16.3K

$978 MX$17.1K

-72.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 ₱10.8K

$470 MX$8,206

-62.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 ₱36.0K

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-64.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 ₱24.4K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-67.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,112 ₱129.7K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-46.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$921 ₱56.6K

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-86.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$240 ₱14.7K

$677 MX$11.8K

-64.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-38.70%

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

Last update for Negros: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $265 in Negros 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 182% 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 $14.00 in Negros versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $252 – making Negros 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 60%, 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 $1,183 per month in Negros 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 Negros, 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 $14.00 in Negros and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 Negros, where all-in costs run around $788, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Negros it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Negros – 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 Negros. 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.