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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $718 in Bulacan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,050 in Bulacan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,383 in Bulacan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 81% more than Bulacan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bulacan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Bulacan 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.70 ₱167

334.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$14.10 ₱870

195.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$2.83 ₱174

275.97%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.22 ₱137

58.56%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.68 ₱41.84

122.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.31 ₱18.92

212.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.04 ₱63.9

183.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.10 ₱129

111.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.11 ₱130

-34.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.25 ₱77.0

51.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.92 ₱56.6

78.26%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.97 ₱121

27.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.04 ₱188

174.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.70 ₱228

125.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.67 ₱411

60.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.07 ₱128

25.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.44 ₱88.6

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.14 ₱132

-11.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.43 ₱88.2

45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.74 ₱107

2.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.52 ₱93.6

44.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.88 ₱54.0

18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.84 ₱52.1

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.87 ₱177

42.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$3.63 ₱224

184.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.09 ₱67.3

56.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.62 ₱100

59.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.29 ₱17.95

75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$7.49 ₱462

253.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.76 ₱47.02

328.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.24 ₱14.84

937.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.72 ₱168

19.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.10 ₱67.6

19.09%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$27.1K ₱1.7M

11.78%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$14.7K ₱905.5K

59.56%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$113 ₱6,942

-26.39%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$32.16 ₱1,983

-30.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$27.96 ₱1,724

4.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$40.56 ₱2,501

27.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.40 ₱271

316.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.38 ₱393

-20.53%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$106 ₱6,556

88.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,394 ₱270.9K

18.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$29.90 ₱1,844

23.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$23.35 ₱1,440

70.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$75.8 ₱4,674

3.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$98.2 ₱6,052

-11.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$255 ₱15.7K

281.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$135 ₱8,326

246.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$392 ₱24.1K

319.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$202 ₱12.4K

505.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,907 ₱117.6K

106.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,479 ₱91.2K

339.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$294 ₱18.1K

125.68%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bulacan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $255 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 126% 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 $165 – 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 81% 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,076 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $718 in Bulacan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 253% 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 $718, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $718 versus $1,297 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.