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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $623 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $959 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,296 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 103% more than Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.89 ₱244

198.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$16.96 ₱1,066

177.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$2.81 ₱177

322.78%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$1.77 ₱111

124.86%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.61 ₱38.03

134.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.33 ₱20.81

148.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$0.95 ₱59.8

235.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.57 ₱98.7

332.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.59 ₱100

5.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.15 ₱72.0

91.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.93 ₱58.5

83.87%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.99 ₱125

37.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$4.98 ₱313

92.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.38 ₱212

166.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.98 ₱501

60.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.22 ₱140

30.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.05 ₱65.7

42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.30 ₱144

-6.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$0.77 ₱48.50

193.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.71 ₱108

15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.70 ₱107

17.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.62 ₱38.98

98.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.52 ₱32.90

130.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.91 ₱183

56.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.52 ₱535

21.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.96 ₱60.1

68.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.99 ₱125

44.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.30 ₱18.63

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$9.95 ₱625

189.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.76 ₱47.47

609.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.25 ₱15.81

1392.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$1.88 ₱118

206.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.94 ₱59.1

63.83%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$21.1K ₱1.3M

6.84%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$19.0K ₱1.2M

37.35%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$55.2 ₱3,469

65.48%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$17.82 ₱1,120

41.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$21.61 ₱1,358

44.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$11.20 ₱704

500.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$4.70 ₱295

519.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$5.09 ₱320

-4.52%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$130 ₱8,194

71.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$10.7K ₱673.1K

-60.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$23.56 ₱1,480

99.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$19.53 ₱1,227

126.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$60.0 ₱3,767

33.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$55.2 ₱3,471

67.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$291 ₱18.3K

264.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$170 ₱10.7K

130.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$535 ₱33.6K

301.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$299 ₱18.8K

326.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,306 ₱144.9K

73.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$907 ₱57.0K

616.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$161 ₱10.1K

370.86%

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 Cabanatuan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $291 in Cabanatuan. 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 371% 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 $17.00 in Cabanatuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $168 – making Cabanatuan 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 Cabanatuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $623 in Cabanatuan – roughly 103% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $934 in Cabanatuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $17.00 in Cabanatuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $623 in Cabanatuan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cabanatuan, where all-in costs run around $623, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Cabanatuan 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 $623 in Cabanatuan to $1,266 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 Cabanatuan. 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.