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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $709 in Calbayog, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,075 in Calbayog, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,441 in Calbayog, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 83% more than Calbayog, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Calbayog are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Calbayog 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.58 ₱221

227.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$17.71 ₱1,092

135.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.37 ₱208

215.73%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.43 ₱150

44.86%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.84 ₱51.5

79.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.39 ₱24.14

148.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.37 ₱84.3

115.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.09 ₱129

112.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.37 ₱84.2

0.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.22 ₱74.9

54.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.01 ₱62.1

62.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.09 ₱129

20.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.98 ₱492

4.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.77 ₱232

121.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.68 ₱474

39.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.71 ₱105

52.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.98 ₱60.3

48.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.60 ₱161

-26.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.56 ₱96.3

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.30 ₱142

-22.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.64 ₱163

-17.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.12 ₱69.2

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.76 ₱47.11

42.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.30 ₱265

-5.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.86 ₱546

16.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.77 ₱47.22

122.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.01 ₱62.0

155.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.26 ₱15.98

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$21.49 ₱1,325

23.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.76 ₱47.10

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

$2.16 ₱133

50.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.53 ₱94.2

-14.38%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$26.6K ₱1.6M

13.70%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.0K ₱1.2M

17.02%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$111 ₱6,870

-25.62%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$32.28 ₱1,990

-31.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$27.69 ₱1,708

5.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$33.53 ₱2,067

53.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.53 ₱279

304.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.08 ₱375

-16.61%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$152 ₱9,383

31.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,258 ₱262.5K

22.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$45.34 ₱2,796

-18.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$26.29 ₱1,621

51.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$74.5 ₱4,594

5.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$52.8 ₱3,257

64.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$174 ₱10.7K

458.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$108 ₱6,638

334.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$332 ₱20.5K

393.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$189 ₱11.6K

546.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,101 ₱129.6K

87.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,015 ₱62.6K

540.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$153 ₱9,410

335.07%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Calbayog: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $174 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 335% 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 $186 – 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 83%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,064 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 34% 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 $709, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.