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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $614 in Dipolog, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $839 in Dipolog, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,065 in Dipolog, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 106% more than Dipolog, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dipolog are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Dipolog 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$1.38 ₱86.4

740.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$19.31 ₱1,213

143.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$2.75 ₱173

332.00%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.00 ₱126

99.00%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.69 ₱43.43

107.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.27 ₱16.88

203.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.06 ₱66.7

200.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.70 ₱107

299.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.61 ₱101

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.78 ₱48.74

182.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.83 ₱52.2

106.02%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.96 ₱123

39.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.86 ₱368

63.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.96 ₱249

127.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$5.47 ₱344

134.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.56 ₱97.8

85.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.08 ₱67.9

38.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.97 ₱186

-27.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.45 ₱91.0

55.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.87 ₱118

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$2.80 ₱176

-28.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.40 ₱87.8

-12.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.61 ₱38.25

96.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.94 ₱185

54.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$4.05 ₱255

156.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.11 ₱69.7

45.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.31 ₱82.4

119.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.27 ₱17.11

122.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$11.16 ₱701

158.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.70 ₱43.74

670.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.34 ₱21.34

997.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$2.35 ₱148

145.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.93 ₱58.7

65.59%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$21.4K ₱1.3M

5.26%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$19.3K ₱1.2M

34.77%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$63.5 ₱3,990

43.91%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$7.97 ₱501

216.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$24.29 ₱1,526

28.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$31.52 ₱1,980

113.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$4.85 ₱305

500.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$4.72 ₱297

2.97%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$31.33 ₱1,968

613.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$8,141 ₱511.5K

-48.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$32.16 ₱2,021

46.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$19.45 ₱1,222

127.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$56.6 ₱3,556

41.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$23.87 ₱1,499

288.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$162 ₱10.2K

557.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$171 ₱10.8K

127.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$500 ₱31.4K

329.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$134 ₱8,399

851.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,582 ₱162.2K

54.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,055 ₱66.3K

516.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$238 ₱14.9K

219.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.33

56.21%

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 Dipolog: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $162 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 219% 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 $19.00 in Dipolog. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $163 – 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 106% 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $921 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.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $31.33 in Dipolog. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 70% 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 Dipolog, where all-in costs run around $614, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $614 versus $1,266 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.