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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $538 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,049 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,559 in Cabanatuan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 141% more than Cabanatuan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cabanatuan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Cabanatuan 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$4.45 ₱268

163.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$35.27 ₱2,124

18.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$3.57 ₱215

191.60%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.98 ₱179

21.14%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.88 ₱53.0

65.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.48 ₱29.06

102.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.43 ₱86.0

104.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.70 ₱163

71.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.06 ₱124

-30.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.55 ₱93.1

22.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$0.92 ₱55.4

70.65%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.02 ₱122

30.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$3.63 ₱219

132.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$3.11 ₱187

175.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$6.59 ₱397

66.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$4.07 ₱245

-33.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.22 ₱73.6

23.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.93 ₱116

-1.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$0.77 ₱46.50

181.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.48 ₱89.0

26.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.38 ₱83.2

61.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.09 ₱65.6

-0.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.84 ₱50.4

27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.89 ₱174

43.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$5.81 ₱350

77.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$0.74 ₱44.48

127.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.74 ₱105

45.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.28 ₱17.05

96.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.73 ₱43.72

338.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.24 ₱14.52

925.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.92 ₱55.4

247.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.16 ₱70.0

13.79%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$28.1K ₱1.7M

7.31%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$18.0K ₱1.1M

30.33%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$57.3 ₱3,449

42.07%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$20.87 ₱1,257

7.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$25.00 ₱1,506

19.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$12.17 ₱733

323.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$2.63 ₱159

599.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$6.82 ₱411

-24.34%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$151 ₱9,104

33.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$4,292 ₱258.5K

23.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$26.33 ₱1,586

35.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$34.39 ₱2,071

17.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$61.5 ₱3,704

27.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$47.65 ₱2,870

82.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$267 ₱16.1K

255.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$44.21 ₱2,663

981.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$596 ₱35.9K

171.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$402 ₱24.2K

204.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$229 ₱13.8K

2727.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$208 ₱12.5K

223.52%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Cabanatuan: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $267 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 224% 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 $35.00 in Cabanatuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $174 – 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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, $538 in Cabanatuan – roughly 141% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $807 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $35.00 in Cabanatuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cabanatuan, where all-in costs run around $538, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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 $538 in Cabanatuan to $1,294 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.