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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $635 in Bulacan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $923 in Bulacan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,211 in Bulacan, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$1.95 ₱122

494.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$15.69 ₱986

200.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$2.71 ₱170

338.38%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$1.77 ₱111

124.86%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.50 ₱31.56

186.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.25 ₱15.57

228.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$0.94 ₱59.0

239.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.57 ₱98.9

332.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.63 ₱102

3.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.10 ₱69.1

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.87 ₱54.6

96.55%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.76 ₱111

55.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$2.72 ₱171

252.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.49 ₱219

158.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$5.95 ₱374

115.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.02 ₱127

43.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.57 ₱98.6

-4.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.00 ₱126

7.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.08 ₱67.6

109.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.58 ₱99.2

25.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.77 ₱112

12.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.66 ₱41.33

86.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.53 ₱33.61

126.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.93 ₱184

55.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$3.56 ₱223

191.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.92 ₱58.0

76.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.58 ₱99.3

82.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.19 ₱11.63

215.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$6.71 ₱422

329.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.70 ₱44.28

670.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.18 ₱11.00

1972.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$1.93 ₱121

198.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.04 ₱65.7

48.08%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$21.5K ₱1.4M

4.92%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$16.0K ₱1.0M

62.86%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$114 ₱7,193

-20.19%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$17.31 ₱1,087

45.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$23.30 ₱1,464

34.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$36.36 ₱2,284

84.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$0.78 ₱48.73

3632.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$5.15 ₱323

-5.63%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$96.5 ₱6,064

131.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$972 ₱61.1K

335.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$28.30 ₱1,778

66.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$19.31 ₱1,213

129.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$74.4 ₱4,676

7.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$54.7 ₱3,434

69.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$237 ₱14.9K

349.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$149 ₱9,347

162.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$381 ₱23.9K

464.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$215 ₱13.5K

492.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$1,900 ₱119.4K

110.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,418 ₱89.1K

358.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$296 ₱18.6K

155.96%

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 Bulacan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $237 in Bulacan. 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 156% 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 $16.00 in Bulacan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $146 – making Bulacan 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 Bulacan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 99% more than Bulacan, 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 $952 in Bulacan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulacan, 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 Bulacan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 329% less in Bulacan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bulacan, where all-in costs run around $635, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Bulacan 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. Bulacan 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.

If budget matters most, go with Bulacan. 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.