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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $682 in Dipolog, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,078 in Dipolog, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,473 in Dipolog, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 85% more than Dipolog, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dipolog are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Dipolog 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$1.22 ₱74.8

860.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$21.56 ₱1,319

94.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.57 ₱219

194.40%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.07 ₱127

73.43%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.53 ₱32.66

184.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.32 ₱19.68

187.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$0.98 ₱60.3

202.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.72 ₱106

156.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.88 ₱115

-25.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.22 ₱74.7

54.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.87 ₱53.4

79.31%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.18 ₱133

19.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$5.76 ₱353

44.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.25 ₱260

96.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$6.90 ₱422

57.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.70 ₱226

-26.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.15 ₱70.6

31.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.38 ₱207

-44.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.62 ₱99.3

35.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.63 ₱161

-29.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$3.11 ₱191

-28.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.64 ₱100

-34.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.85 ₱52.1

28.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.25 ₱199

28.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$4.13 ₱253

152.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.32 ₱80.9

25.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.40 ₱85.9

86.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.26 ₱15.84

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.70 ₱42.71

340.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.25 ₱15.39

860.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.71 ₱166

15.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.04 ₱63.7

25.96%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$24.1K ₱1.5M

23.43%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$19.2K ₱1.2M

21.19%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$64.8 ₱3,965

25.49%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$31.77 ₱1,945

-28.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$30.69 ₱1,879

-2.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$34.29 ₱2,099

54.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.39 ₱269

318.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.33 ₱265

13.63%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$36.05 ₱2,207

457.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,250 ₱260.2K

21.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$45.52 ₱2,786

-21.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$22.69 ₱1,389

76.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$61.1 ₱3,739

30.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$26.44 ₱1,619

227.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$271 ₱16.6K

261.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$180 ₱11.0K

161.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$586 ₱35.9K

181.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$401 ₱24.5K

200.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,255 ₱138.0K

75.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,081 ₱66.2K

511.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$245 ₱15.0K

176.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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 Dipolog: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $271 in Dipolog. 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 176% 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 $22.00 in Dipolog. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $198 – making Dipolog 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 Dipolog: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 85% more than Dipolog, 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 $1,023 in Dipolog. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dipolog, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $682 in Dipolog. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $36.05 in Dipolog. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dipolog, where all-in costs run around $682, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Dipolog 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. Dipolog costs $682 versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Dipolog. 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.