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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $836 in Dagupan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,222 in Dagupan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,609 in Dagupan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 54% more than Dagupan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dagupan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Dagupan 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.23 ₱199

269.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$13.54 ₱835

215.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.81 ₱297

120.17%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.76 ₱170

31.16%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.51 ₱31.26

188.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.28 ₱17.28

235.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.34 ₱82.9

130.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.98 ₱184

49.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.11 ₱130

-32.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.44 ₱88.6

30.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.89 ₱55.2

83.15%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.19 ₱135

20.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.49 ₱401

26.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.40 ₱272

88.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.81 ₱482

42.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$4.40 ₱271

-39.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.97 ₱122

-23.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.71 ₱167

-26.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.26 ₱77.5

65.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$3.15 ₱194

-43.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.96 ₱183

-26.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.10 ₱67.7

-1.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.59 ₱36.52

76.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.74 ₱169

44.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$5.69 ₱351

79.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.00 ₱61.7

73.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.12 ₱131

17.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.24 ₱14.82

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.69 ₱42.32

355.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.38 ₱23.45

531.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$3.47 ₱214

-10.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.12 ₱69.0

13.39%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$33.5K ₱2.1M

-7.93%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$22.3K ₱1.4M

4.70%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$113 ₱6,987

-27.60%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$26.87 ₱1,658

-16.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$29.55 ₱1,822

0.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$36.99 ₱2,282

40.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.82 ₱359

-14.60%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$328 ₱20.2K

-39.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$7,806 ₱481.5K

-32.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$59.3 ₱3,657

-38.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$8.77 ₱541

356.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$85.1 ₱5,249

-6.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$122 ₱7,507

-26.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$218 ₱13.5K

341.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$173 ₱10.7K

168.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$529 ₱32.6K

201.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$296 ₱18.2K

308.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$500 ₱30.8K

1190.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$242 ₱14.9K

197.28%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Dagupan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $218 in Dagupan. 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 197% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Dagupan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $211 – making Dagupan 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 Dagupan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 54%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,254 in Dagupan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dagupan, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $14.00 in Dagupan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dagupan, where all-in costs run around $836, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Dagupan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Dagupan. 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.