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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $876 per month in Pasig vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Pasig vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,939 per month in Pasig vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Pasig is about 31% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Pasig and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Pasig 35% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ₱271

$11.87 MX$204

-62.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.77 ₱1,625

$42.90 MX$736

-37.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.28 ₱199

$10.65 MX$183

-69.20%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₱159

$3.45 MX$59.2

-24.06%

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

$0.66 ₱39.90

$1.50 MX$25.81

-56.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.42

$0.95 MX$16.28

-57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 ₱90.4

$3.03 MX$51.9

-50.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 ₱158

$4.61 MX$79.1

-43.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 ₱116

$1.38 MX$23.61

38.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ₱84.5

$1.85 MX$31.70

-24.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₱65.2

$1.61 MX$27.65

-33.54%

Eggs

$2.19 ₱133

$2.59 MX$44.51

-15.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 ₱553

$8.26 MX$142

10.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 ₱251

$8.37 MX$144

-50.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.29 ₱504

$10.66 MX$183

-22.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 ₱212

$2.63 MX$45.12

32.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ₱112

$1.49 MX$25.53

23.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 ₱219

$1.92 MX$32.94

87.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ₱106

$2.09 MX$35.81

-16.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 ₱166

$1.86 MX$31.88

47.31%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 ₱186

$2.26 MX$38.81

35.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₱122

$1.06 MX$18.23

90.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱43.31

$1.09 MX$18.67

-34.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ₱198

$4.15 MX$71.2

-21.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.70 ₱589

$10.39 MX$178

-6.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ₱87.3

$1.72 MX$29.59

-16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₱135

$2.61 MX$44.85

-14.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.02

$0.54 MX$9.30

-48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.04 ₱367

$26.94 MX$462

-77.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₱52.6

$3.13 MX$53.7

-72.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.34

$2.51 MX$43.09

-91.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 ₱132

$3.15 MX$54.1

-30.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₱70.3

$1.27 MX$21.88

-8.66%

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

$26.7K ₱1.6M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-12.08%

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

$20.8K ₱1.3M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-11.89%

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

$134 ₱8,150

$83.0 MX$1,425

61.72%

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

$35.30 ₱2,143

$22.71 MX$390

55.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.34 ₱1,660

$29.46 MX$506

-7.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.96 ₱2,062

$51.0 MX$875

-33.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.47 ₱271

$18.33 MX$315

-75.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 ₱398

$4.93 MX$84.5

33.06%

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

$152 ₱9,223

$197 MX$3,386

-23.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,799 ₱291.4K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-9.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.37 ₱2,937

$36.90 MX$633

31.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.10 ₱2,131

$39.89 MX$685

-12.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 ₱4,647

$80.0 MX$1,373

-4.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.02 ₱2,794

$89.5 MX$1,536

-48.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 ₱21.2K

$956 MX$16.4K

-63.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 ₱12.1K

$477 MX$8,189

-58.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 ₱35.2K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-64.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 ₱30.5K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-59.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,353 ₱203.6K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-14.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,527 ₱153.4K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-60.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$442 ₱26.9K

$667 MX$11.4K

-33.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.42

-60.60%

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

Last update for Pasig: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $350 in Pasig versus $956 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 51% 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 $27.00 in Pasig versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $250 – making Pasig 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 45%, 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 $1,314 per month in Pasig and $1,906 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 Pasig, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 346% less in Pasig. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $152 per month in Pasig and $197 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 Pasig, where all-in costs run around $876, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Pasig it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Pasig. 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.