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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $745 in Antipolo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,247 in Antipolo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,749 in Antipolo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 69% more than Antipolo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Antipolo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Antipolo 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$5.48 ₱335

113.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$26.48 ₱1,621

58.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$2.14 ₱131

391.12%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$0.63 ₱38.65

469.84%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.41 ₱25.19

268.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.36 ₱22.05

155.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$0.93 ₱57.2

218.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.26 ₱77.3

250.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.92 ₱117

-27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.34 ₱81.8

40.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.04 ₱64.0

50.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.14 ₱131

21.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.53 ₱583

-12.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.27 ₱323

58.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$8.63 ₱528

25.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.49 ₱213

-22.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.79 ₱110

-15.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.58 ₱219

-47.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.39 ₱146

-8.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.82 ₱172

-34.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$3.16 ₱193

-29.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.03 ₱124

-47.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.65 ₱39.51

67.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.36 ₱205

24.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$9.15 ₱560

13.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.45 ₱88.7

14.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.20 ₱135

18.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.26 ₱15.90

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.86 ₱52.6

258.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.22 ₱13.39

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.19 ₱134

42.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.17 ₱71.5

11.97%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.7K ₱1.6M

11.56%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$22.5K ₱1.4M

3.66%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$135 ₱8,290

-39.98%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$21.97 ₱1,345

2.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$27.25 ₱1,668

10.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$34.53 ₱2,114

53.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.55 ₱278

304.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.72 ₱411

-26.79%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$119 ₱7,280

68.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,336 ₱265.4K

19.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$47.04 ₱2,880

-23.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$35.48 ₱2,172

13.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$83.8 ₱5,128

-4.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$45.74 ₱2,800

89.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$193 ₱11.8K

405.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$113 ₱6,938

315.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$585 ₱35.8K

182.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$392 ₱24.0K

206.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,373 ₱145.3K

66.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$962 ₱58.9K

587.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$437 ₱26.8K

54.67%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Antipolo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $193 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 55% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Antipolo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $241 – 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 69% 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,117 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $745 in Antipolo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $119 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 $745, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $745 versus $1,260 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.