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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $698 in Calbayog, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,058 in Calbayog, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,419 in Calbayog, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 80% more than Calbayog, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Calbayog are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Calbayog 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.48 ₱214

244.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$17.95 ₱1,105

132.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$3.35 ₱206

220.90%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.38 ₱147

47.06%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.82 ₱50.2

76.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.39 ₱24.21

125.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.31 ₱80.8

125.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.07 ₱127

117.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.36 ₱83.5

5.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.20 ₱74.1

53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.99 ₱60.8

58.59%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.07 ₱127

21.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$8.07 ₱497

2.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$3.91 ₱240

115.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$7.60 ₱468

40.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.65 ₱102

58.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.99 ₱61.1

45.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$2.71 ₱167

-27.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.62 ₱100.0

29.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.28 ₱140

-18.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.53 ₱156

-14.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.06 ₱65.3

-2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.71 ₱43.41

50.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$4.39 ₱270

-6.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$7.10 ₱437

43.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$0.71 ₱43.54

136.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$0.96 ₱58.9

163.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.28 ₱17.31

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$20.97 ₱1,291

24.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.78 ₱47.72

314.10%

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

$2.10 ₱129

53.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.52 ₱93.6

-13.16%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$26.6K ₱1.6M

11.60%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

14.42%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$112 ₱6,877

-26.58%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$33.05 ₱2,035

-30.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$26.97 ₱1,660

11.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$34.06 ₱2,097

52.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$4.54 ₱280

308.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$6.04 ₱372

-17.55%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$150 ₱9,237

31.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$4,272 ₱263.0K

24.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$45.06 ₱2,774

-20.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$26.11 ₱1,607

54.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$74.2 ₱4,567

6.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$53.0 ₱3,260

67.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$179 ₱11.0K

428.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$105 ₱6,492

349.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$338 ₱20.8K

385.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$183 ₱11.3K

560.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$2,235 ₱137.6K

81.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,039 ₱64.0K

522.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$153 ₱9,404

328.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.67

71.21%

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 Calbayog: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $179 in Calbayog. 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 328% 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 $18.00 in Calbayog. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $182 – making Calbayog 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 Calbayog: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 80%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,046 in Calbayog. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 37% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $18.00 in Calbayog. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Calbayog, where all-in costs run around $698, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Calbayog it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Calbayog – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Calbayog. 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.