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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $586 in Caloocan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $916 in Caloocan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,247 in Caloocan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 116% more than Caloocan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Caloocan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Caloocan 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.41 ₱151

381.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$16.60 ₱1,041

183.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$2.27 ₱142

423.35%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$0.94 ₱59.2

323.40%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.43 ₱26.89

232.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.31 ₱19.15

164.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$0.94 ₱59.0

239.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.61 ₱101

321.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.61 ₱101

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.15 ₱72.1

91.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.93 ₱58.2

83.87%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.77 ₱111

54.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$1.86 ₱117

415.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$2.57 ₱161

250.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$5.14 ₱322

149.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.84 ₱115

57.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.02 ₱64.3

47.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.04 ₱128

5.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.07 ₱67.3

111.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.13 ₱70.8

75.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.71 ₱107

16.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.67 ₱42.10

83.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.52 ₱32.38

130.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.85 ₱179

59.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$4.64 ₱291

123.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$0.96 ₱60.3

68.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.00 ₱125

44.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.22 ₱13.65

172.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.75 ₱46.95

618.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.23 ₱14.40

1521.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$1.88 ₱118

206.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.90 ₱56.6

71.11%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$21.6K ₱1.4M

4.54%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$19.1K ₱1.2M

36.59%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$53.0 ₱3,321

72.58%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$9.76 ₱612

158.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$23.11 ₱1,449

35.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$4.83 ₱303

1291.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.02 ₱315

-3.19%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$132 ₱8,289

69.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$10.5K ₱661.4K

-59.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$29.19 ₱1,831

61.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$19.37 ₱1,215

128.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$49.35 ₱3,095

62.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$42.84 ₱2,687

116.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$266 ₱16.7K

298.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$235 ₱14.8K

65.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$526 ₱33.0K

308.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$468 ₱29.4K

171.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$267 ₱16.8K

183.45%

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 Caloocan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $266 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 183% 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 Caloocan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $135 – 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 116% 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $878 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $17.00 in Caloocan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 105% 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 $586, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $586 versus $1,266 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.