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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $709 in Bulacan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,047 in Bulacan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,385 in Bulacan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 77% more than Bulacan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bulacan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Bulacan 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$2.63 ₱162

355.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$14.29 ₱879

192.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$2.86 ₱176

275.87%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.18 ₱134

60.55%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.68 ₱42.03

113.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.33 ₱20.57

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.04 ₱63.9

183.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.03 ₱125

122.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.04 ₱125

-29.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.24 ₱76.4

48.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.98 ₱60.4

60.20%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.99 ₱122

26.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$3.13 ₱193

164.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$3.49 ₱215

141.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$6.44 ₱397

65.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.17 ₱134

20.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.44 ₱88.9

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$2.11 ₱130

-7.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.47 ₱90.5

42.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.81 ₱112

2.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.51 ₱92.8

43.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.83 ₱51.1

24.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.80 ₱49.24

33.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.86 ₱176

43.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$3.68 ₱227

176.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.04 ₱64.3

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.71 ₱105

47.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.29 ₱17.92

75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$7.30 ₱449

256.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.81 ₱50.1

298.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.22 ₱13.51

995.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.64 ₱162

22.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.10 ₱67.5

20.00%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$27.3K ₱1.7M

8.76%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$14.8K ₱912.1K

59.72%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$113 ₱6,971

-27.57%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$32.87 ₱2,023

-30.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$28.12 ₱1,731

7.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$41.87 ₱2,578

24.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$4.34 ₱267

326.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$6.05 ₱372

-17.69%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$105 ₱6,493

87.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$4,301 ₱264.8K

24.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$30.11 ₱1,854

18.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$23.21 ₱1,429

73.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$75.5 ₱4,648

4.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$99.1 ₱6,103

-10.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$259 ₱15.9K

265.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$135 ₱8,317

250.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$391 ₱24.1K

320.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$201 ₱12.4K

502.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,954 ₱120.3K

107.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,461 ₱90.0K

342.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$293 ₱18.0K

123.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.17

85.09%

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 Bulacan: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $259 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 123% 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 $14.00 in Bulacan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $164 – 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 77% 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,063 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $709 in Bulacan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 257% 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 $709, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $709 versus $1,256 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.