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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $835 in Davao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,279 in Davao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,722 in Davao.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 50% more expensive than in Davao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Davao 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$4.54 ₱279

164.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$23.96 ₱1,475

74.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$4.64 ₱286

131.68%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.06 ₱127

69.90%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.87 ₱53.3

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.54 ₱32.95

62.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.41 ₱86.5

109.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$1.72 ₱106

162.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.68 ₱103

-14.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.22 ₱75.0

50.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.96 ₱59.4

63.54%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.06 ₱127

21.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$6.20 ₱382

33.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$4.60 ₱283

83.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$7.43 ₱457

43.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.88 ₱177

-9.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.14 ₱70.4

26.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$2.41 ₱148

-18.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.42 ₱87.3

47.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.22 ₱137

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$3.15 ₱194

-31.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.31 ₱80.7

-21.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.61 ₱37.28

75.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.71 ₱167

51.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$8.29 ₱510

22.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.41 ₱86.6

19.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.57 ₱96.4

61.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.22 ₱13.45

131.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$14.45 ₱890

80.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.90 ₱55.5

258.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.25 ₱15.47

864.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.10 ₱129

53.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.09 ₱66.9

21.10%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$22.0K ₱1.4M

35.03%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$21.0K ₱1.3M

12.71%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$105 ₱6,463

-21.88%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$33.78 ₱2,080

-32.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$35.75 ₱2,201

-15.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$41.25 ₱2,539

25.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$4.34 ₱267

326.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$4.40 ₱271

13.18%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$119 ₱7,315

66.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$7,829 ₱482.0K

-31.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$65.6 ₱4,040

-45.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$29.82 ₱1,836

35.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$77.8 ₱4,792

1.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$69.4 ₱4,273

28.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$321 ₱19.8K

194.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$183 ₱11.3K

158.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$816 ₱50.2K

101.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$361 ₱22.2K

235.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,621 ₱99.8K

150.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,447 ₱89.1K

347.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$220 ₱13.5K

197.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.56

19.46%

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 Davao: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $321 in Davao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 198% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $24.00 in Davao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $195 per month, with Davao cheaper across the board.

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 Davao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Davao is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 198% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $321 in Davao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Davao – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $835 in Davao – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $835 in Davao versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Davao but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Davao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Davao is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Davao are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Davao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.