Comparación del coste de vida entre Playa del Carmen y Albay Comparación del coste de vida entre Playa del Carmen y Albay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $769 in Albay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,214 in Albay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,660 in Albay.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 67% more expensive than Albay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Albay 43% lower.

Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Albay
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94 MX$209
$3.57 ₱220
234.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$748
$17.42 ₱1,075
145.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.59 MX$185
$3.40 ₱210
211.47%
Cappuccino
$3.62 MX$63.4
$2.36 ₱145
53.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.69
$0.79 ₱48.66
86.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 MX$16.51
$0.40 ₱24.43
135.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 MX$54.1
$1.35 ₱83.3
128.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 MX$78.0
$2.16 ₱133
106.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Albay
Diferencia
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.92 ₱118
-25.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.97
$1.22 ₱75.4
54.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$28.50
$0.93 ₱57.7
75.27%
Eggs
$2.64 MX$46.26
$2.00 ₱124
32.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 MX$144
$8.20 ₱506
0.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.29 MX$145
$4.14 ₱255
100.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.10 MX$194
$7.77 ₱479
42.86%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 MX$46.40
$2.95 ₱182
-10.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$26.26
$1.57 ₱97.0
-4.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.79
$2.61 ₱161
-23.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.33
$1.53 ₱94.6
35.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.29
$2.20 ₱136
-18.64%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 MX$38.09
$2.65 ₱163
-17.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 MX$18.84
$1.11 ₱68.3
-2.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$18.15
$0.77 ₱47.23
35.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 MX$69.5
$2.82 ₱174
40.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.20 MX$179
$7.27 ₱448
40.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.22
$1.16 ₱71.4
49.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$43.71
$1.98 ₱122
26.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Albay
Diferencia
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.07
$0.28 ₱17.36
85.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.97 MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$55.0
$0.82 ₱50.7
282.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$42.04
$0.22 ₱13.53
990.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 MX$54.0
$2.18 ₱134
41.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$22.28
$1.15 ₱71.1
10.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K MX$540.4K
$26.4K ₱1.6M
16.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$408.0K
$20.4K ₱1.3M
14.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Albay
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,435
$114 ₱7,002
-27.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45 MX$393
$32.45 ₱2,002
-30.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66 MX$519
$27.15 ₱1,674
9.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Albay
Diferencia
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.9 MX$908
$33.98 ₱2,096
52.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67 MX$327
$4.38 ₱270
326.26%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$87.0
$5.91 ₱365
-15.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Albay
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,462
$151 ₱9,338
30.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,273 MX$92.3K
$4,326 ₱266.8K
21.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Albay
Diferencia
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34 MX$636
$45.99 ₱2,837
-20.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05 MX$701
$26.49 ₱1,634
51.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 MX$1,398
$74.4 ₱4,591
7.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,555
$52.1 ₱3,216
70.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Albay
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.9K
$261 ₱16.1K
269.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 MX$8,133
$180 ₱11.1K
158.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,596 MX$27.9K
$598 ₱36.9K
166.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,209 MX$21.2K
$396 ₱24.4K
205.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,942 MX$69.0K
$2,124 ₱131.0K
85.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,448 MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Albay
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$720 MX$12.6K
$170 ₱10.5K
324.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
6.67
71.21%

Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.

Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Última actualización para Albay: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $261 in Albay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 324% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $17.00 in Albay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $204 per month, with Albay cheaper across the board.

Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)

El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Albay: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Albay?
Playa del Carmen and Albay differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $769 including rent). Albay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Playa del Carmen or Albay?
Playa del Carmen pays 324% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Albay?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $261 in Albay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Albay?
Childcare runs $198 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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Albay – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $769 in Albay versus $1,287 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.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Albay?
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.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Albay?
Expats usually find Albay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado

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