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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $761 in Bacolod, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,212 in Bacolod, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,664 in Bacolod, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 65% more than Bacolod, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bacolod are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Bacolod 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$2.17 ₱133

452.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$16.61 ₱1,022

151.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$3.92 ₱241

174.23%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.84 ₱175

23.24%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.62 ₱100

-10.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$1.22 ₱75.4

-27.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.30 ₱80.2

126.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$1.91 ₱117

136.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.75 ₱108

-18.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.20 ₱74.2

53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.92 ₱56.8

70.65%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.84 ₱114

36.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$10.06 ₱619

-17.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$7.32 ₱451

15.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$7.76 ₱478

37.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.90 ₱240

-33.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.72 ₱167

-47.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$2.70 ₱166

-27.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.64 ₱39.69

226.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.32 ₱143

-20.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.17 ₱134

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.11 ₱68.1

-7.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.08 ₱66.5

-0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.94 ₱181

39.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$0.99 ₱61.1

69.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.96 ₱121

29.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.18 ₱11.27

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$10.79 ₱664

141.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.78 ₱48.31

314.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.24 ₱14.71

904.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.15 ₱132

50.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.24 ₱76.3

6.45%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$24.5K ₱1.5M

21.39%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$31.1K ₱1.9M

-23.80%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$100.0 ₱6,154

-17.96%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$36.07 ₱2,221

-36.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$27.07 ₱1,667

11.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$26.81 ₱1,651

93.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$2.67 ₱164

594.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$5.07 ₱312

-1.78%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$34.91 ₱2,149

465.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$4,322 ₱266.1K

23.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$55.5 ₱3,416

-35.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$26.52 ₱1,633

52.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$49.55 ₱3,050

58.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$44.74 ₱2,755

98.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$229 ₱14.1K

313.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$146 ₱8,962

225.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$495 ₱30.5K

232.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$427 ₱26.3K

183.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$214 ₱13.2K

204.97%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bacolod: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $229 in Bacolod. 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 205% 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 $17.00 in Bacolod. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $218 – making Bacolod 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 Bacolod: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $761 in Bacolod – roughly 65% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,141 in Bacolod. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 141% less in Bacolod. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $34.91 in Bacolod. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bacolod, where all-in costs run around $761, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Bacolod it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $761 in Bacolod to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Bacolod. 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.