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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $781 in Albay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,205 in Albay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,629 in Albay.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 66% more expensive than in Albay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Albay 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$204

$3.49 ₱212

236.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$725

$17.93 ₱1,086

133.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$181

$3.23 ₱195

222.29%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.45 ₱149

47.35%

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

$1.46 MX$25.28

$0.82 ₱49.74

78.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.40 ₱24.08

142.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$1.34 ₱81.3

117.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$80.2

$2.15 ₱130

114.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.90 ₱115

-24.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.98

$1.27 ₱77.0

49.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.18

$0.99 ₱59.7

58.59%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.73

$2.00 ₱121

32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

$7.95 ₱481

6.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$149

$4.14 ₱251

107.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

$7.89 ₱477

39.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

$2.87 ₱173

-5.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

$1.59 ₱96.5

-5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

$2.71 ₱164

-29.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

$1.57 ₱94.9

38.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.53

$2.29 ₱139

-18.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

$2.63 ₱159

-15.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$1.11 ₱67.2

-2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.72 ₱43.60

48.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.2

$2.80 ₱170

48.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$179

$9.22 ₱558

11.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.20

$1.14 ₱69.3

47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$1.99 ₱121

27.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

$0.28 ₱17.07

96.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$0.78 ₱47.27

310.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

$0.24 ₱14.58

925.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$2.15 ₱130

48.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.91

$1.15 ₱69.7

14.78%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

$26.4K ₱1.6M

14.21%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

13.13%

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

$81.4 MX$1,412

$113 ₱6,830

-27.89%

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

$22.41 MX$389

$32.54 ₱1,970

-31.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$520

$27.67 ₱1,675

8.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$34.43 ₱2,084

49.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$4.35 ₱263

322.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$89.6

$6.08 ₱368

-15.13%

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

$202 MX$3,501

$151 ₱9,151

33.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

$4,274 ₱258.8K

24.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

$46.47 ₱2,814

-23.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

$26.09 ₱1,579

54.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

$76.2 ₱4,611

3.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

$53.9 ₱3,266

61.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

$268 ₱16.2K

254.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

$177 ₱10.7K

170.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

$591 ₱35.8K

174.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$391 ₱23.7K

212.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

$2,623 ₱158.8K

52.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

$1,003 ₱60.7K

545.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.7K

$169 ₱10.3K

297.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.67

71.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Albay: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $268 in Albay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 297% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $18.00 in Albay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $208 per month, with Albay cheaper across the board.

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

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

Playa del Carmen and Albay differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,294 vs $781 including rent). Albay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 297% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $268 in Albay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $151 in Albay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Albay – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $781 in Albay versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Albay but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Albay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Albay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.