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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $736 in Bacolod, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,190 in Bacolod, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,645 in Bacolod, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 76% more than Bacolod, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bacolod are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Bacolod 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.24 ₱138

423.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$17.17 ₱1,060

142.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.97 ₱245

168.01%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.96 ₱183

18.92%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.64 ₱101

-7.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.21 ₱74.9

-19.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.28 ₱78.8

130.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.94 ₱119

129.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.73 ₱107

-20.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.25 ₱76.8

51.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.91 ₱55.9

80.22%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.77 ₱109

41.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.64 ₱595

-13.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$7.62 ₱470

9.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.76 ₱479

38.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.85 ₱238

-32.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.73 ₱168

-46.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.58 ₱159

-26.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.65 ₱39.85

220.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.32 ₱143

-23.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.27 ₱140

-3.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.10 ₱67.9

-5.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.13 ₱69.5

-4.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.05 ₱188

33.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.96 ₱59.1

78.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.99 ₱123

29.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.18 ₱10.86

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$10.62 ₱655

149.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.78 ₱48.43

317.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.24 ₱14.79

937.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$2.17 ₱134

49.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.24 ₱76.5

5.65%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$25.3K ₱1.6M

19.64%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$30.6K ₱1.9M

-23.45%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$103 ₱6,364

-19.65%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$35.67 ₱2,201

-37.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$27.89 ₱1,721

5.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$26.22 ₱1,618

96.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$2.58 ₱159

610.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.86 ₱300

4.32%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$35.27 ₱2,176

469.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$4,330 ₱267.2K

20.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$55.3 ₱3,412

-33.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$26.06 ₱1,608

52.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$50.1 ₱3,090

56.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$43.72 ₱2,698

99.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$227 ₱14.0K

328.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$148 ₱9,161

215.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$495 ₱30.5K

231.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$430 ₱26.5K

183.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$207 ₱12.8K

221.22%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bacolod: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $227 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 221% 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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $736 in Bacolod – roughly 76% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,104 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 149% less in Bacolod. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $35.27 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 $736, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $736 in Bacolod to $1,297 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.