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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $661 in Caloocan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,032 in Caloocan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,404 in Caloocan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 91% more than Caloocan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Caloocan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Caloocan 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.50 ₱214

234.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$13.31 ₱815

214.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$2.59 ₱159

305.79%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.12 ₱68.5

220.54%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.43 ₱26.21

251.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.37 ₱22.93

148.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.36 ₱83.5

117.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.93 ₱118

128.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.89 ₱116

-25.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.24 ₱76.1

51.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.03 ₱63.3

51.46%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.98 ₱121

31.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$2.08 ₱127

300.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.80 ₱172

198.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$5.83 ₱357

86.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.08 ₱127

30.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.11 ₱67.8

36.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.32 ₱142

-19.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.21 ₱74.2

80.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.26 ₱76.9

47.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.24 ₱137

-0.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.72 ₱43.98

48.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.57 ₱35.14

91.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.27 ₱200

28.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$4.76 ₱291

119.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.07 ₱65.3

55.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.35 ₱144

11.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.22 ₱13.48

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.77 ₱47.12

300.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.24 ₱14.75

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.44 ₱149

28.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.16 ₱71.1

12.93%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$32.3K ₱2.0M

-7.72%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.0K ₱1.2M

16.45%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$61.2 ₱3,747

32.79%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$10.45 ₱640

115.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$26.05 ₱1,595

15.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$5.39 ₱330

881.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.36 ₱267

321.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.75 ₱352

-14.43%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$153 ₱9,349

31.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,785 ₱292.9K

8.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$49.63 ₱3,038

-27.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$27.95 ₱1,711

43.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$53.3 ₱3,263

49.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$47.30 ₱2,896

82.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$295 ₱18.1K

231.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$266 ₱16.3K

76.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$582 ₱35.6K

183.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$530 ₱32.4K

127.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,529 ₱154.8K

56.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,028 ₱62.9K

542.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$267 ₱16.3K

153.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.5

153.78%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Caloocan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $295 in Caloocan. 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 153% 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 $13.00 in Caloocan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $151 – making Caloocan 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 Caloocan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 91% more than Caloocan, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $991 in Caloocan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Caloocan, 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 $13.00 in Caloocan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 67% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Caloocan, where all-in costs run around $661, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Caloocan 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. Caloocan costs $661 versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Caloocan. 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.