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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $750 in Antipolo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,256 in Antipolo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,761 in Antipolo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 72% more than Antipolo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Antipolo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Antipolo 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$5.25 ₱324

127.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$26.51 ₱1,635

61.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$2.07 ₱128

411.59%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$0.64 ₱39.36

465.63%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.44 ₱27.23

234.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.33 ₱20.59

184.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$0.94 ₱57.8

228.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.26 ₱77.7

253.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.91 ₱118

-25.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.40 ₱86.1

34.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.09 ₱67.0

49.54%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.15 ₱132

22.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.30 ₱574

-11.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.19 ₱320

59.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$8.29 ₱511

33.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.48 ₱215

-23.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.81 ₱112

-17.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.49 ₱215

-42.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.38 ₱147

-12.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.78 ₱171

-35.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$3.08 ₱190

-29.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.97 ₱121

-45.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.66 ₱40.57

57.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.44 ₱212

15.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.93 ₱551

14.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.50 ₱92.2

15.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.14 ₱132

16.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.26 ₱15.93

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.86 ₱53.0

265.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.24 ₱14.85

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.16 ₱133

43.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.15 ₱71.2

10.43%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$26.2K ₱1.6M

17.96%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$23.1K ₱1.4M

0.91%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$134 ₱8,259

-38.76%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$22.11 ₱1,364

1.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$27.98 ₱1,726

6.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$34.40 ₱2,122

50.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$4.41 ₱272

323.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.62 ₱408

-24.92%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$118 ₱7,277

67.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,232 ₱261.0K

24.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$46.96 ₱2,897

-22.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$34.89 ₱2,152

14.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$82.4 ₱5,083

-3.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$47.32 ₱2,919

87.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$192 ₱11.9K

400.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$116 ₱7,178

299.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$583 ₱36.0K

173.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$389 ₱24.0K

210.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,326 ₱143.4K

69.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,224 ₱75.5K

427.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$439 ₱27.1K

63.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.52

51.86%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Antipolo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $192 in Antipolo. 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 64% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Antipolo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $239 – making Antipolo 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 72% more than Antipolo, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,125 in Antipolo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Antipolo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $750 in Antipolo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $118 in Antipolo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Antipolo, where all-in costs run around $750, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Antipolo 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. Antipolo costs $750 versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Antipolo. 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.