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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $821 in Davao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,263 in Davao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,705 in Davao.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 58% more expensive than Davao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Davao 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.41 ₱272

165.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$24.31 ₱1,499

71.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.62 ₱285

130.30%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.13 ₱131

65.26%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.88 ₱54.2

71.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.53 ₱32.92

83.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.39 ₱85.4

112.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.80 ₱111

147.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.76 ₱108

-21.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.26 ₱77.5

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.91 ₱56.3

80.22%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.06 ₱127

21.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.89 ₱363

41.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.50 ₱278

85.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.12 ₱439

50.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.88 ₱178

-9.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.13 ₱69.8

29.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.40 ₱148

-20.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.34 ₱82.6

55.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.22 ₱137

-19.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$3.15 ₱194

-30.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.32 ₱81.6

-21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.57 ₱34.96

89.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.64 ₱163

54.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.01 ₱494

28.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.40 ₱86.3

22.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.56 ₱96.2

65.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.24 ₱14.84

112.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$14.15 ₱873

87.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.85 ₱52.3

283.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.23 ₱14.08

982.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.16 ₱133

50.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.09 ₱67.0

20.18%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$21.9K ₱1.4M

38.11%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

12.49%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$104 ₱6,405

-20.22%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$33.96 ₱2,094

-34.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$35.46 ₱2,187

-17.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$40.61 ₱2,504

27.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.40 ₱272

316.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.40 ₱271

15.23%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$119 ₱7,328

68.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$8,012 ₱494.0K

-34.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$65.6 ₱4,043

-43.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$30.07 ₱1,854

32.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$77.7 ₱4,792

0.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$67.8 ₱4,183

28.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$330 ₱20.4K

194.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$184 ₱11.3K

154.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$814 ₱50.2K

101.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$370 ₱22.8K

229.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,654 ₱102.0K

138.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,457 ₱89.9K

345.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$216 ₱13.3K

207.70%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Davao: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $330 in Davao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 208% 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 $192 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 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 208% more on average, 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $330 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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $821 in Davao – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $821 in Davao versus $1,297 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 58% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.