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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $635 in Antipolo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,024 in Antipolo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,412 in Antipolo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 99% more than Antipolo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Antipolo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Antipolo 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$5.54 ₱347

109.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$18.90 ₱1,186

149.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$2.74 ₱172

333.58%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.85 ₱116

115.14%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.66 ₱41.14

116.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.54 ₱33.61

51.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$0.97 ₱60.7

228.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.63 ₱102

316.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.68 ₱106

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.11 ₱69.7

98.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.01 ₱63.1

69.31%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.07 ₱130

32.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.05 ₱317

89.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.48 ₱218

158.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.08 ₱444

80.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.35 ₱210

-13.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.55 ₱97.3

-3.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.32 ₱145

-7.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.07 ₱67.1

111.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.65 ₱103

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.72 ₱108

15.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.61 ₱38.49

101.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.50 ₱31.14

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.89 ₱181

57.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.90 ₱558

16.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$0.96 ₱60.4

68.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.05 ₱129

40.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.76 ₱47.58

609.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.21 ₱13.15

1676.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$1.93 ₱121

198.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.16 ₱72.6

32.76%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$21.6K ₱1.4M

4.31%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$19.5K ₱1.2M

33.30%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$121 ₱7,574

-24.33%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$15.34 ₱962

64.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$22.97 ₱1,441

36.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$47.56 ₱2,983

41.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.22 ₱328

-6.90%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$131 ₱8,220

70.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$8,755 ₱549.1K

-51.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$29.28 ₱1,836

60.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$19.39 ₱1,216

128.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$71.9 ₱4,512

11.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$55.8 ₱3,499

66.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$156 ₱9,792

580.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$79.1 ₱4,958

393.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$317 ₱19.9K

578.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$238 ₱14.9K

434.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,909 ₱182.5K

37.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,188 ₱74.5K

447.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$423 ₱26.6K

79.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.75

69.63%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Antipolo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $156 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 79% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Antipolo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $178 – 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 99% 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $953 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $635 in Antipolo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $131 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 $635, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $635 versus $1,266 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.