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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $688 in Dipolog, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,075 in Dipolog, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,462 in Dipolog, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 88% more than Dipolog, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dipolog are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Dipolog 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$1.25 ₱75.4

838.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$20.85 ₱1,256

100.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$3.65 ₱220

185.21%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.99 ₱120

81.41%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.57 ₱34.22

156.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.30 ₱18.02

223.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$0.94 ₱56.9

210.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$1.81 ₱109

155.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.81 ₱109

-20.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.25 ₱75.4

52.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$0.95 ₱57.5

65.26%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.25 ₱135

17.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$5.86 ₱353

44.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$4.15 ₱250

106.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$6.74 ₱406

63.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.76 ₱226

-28.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.20 ₱72.3

25.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$3.38 ₱203

-43.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.56 ₱94.1

39.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.60 ₱156

-28.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$3.00 ₱181

-25.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.68 ₱101

-35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.87 ₱52.5

22.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$3.22 ₱194

29.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$4.05 ₱244

154.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.34 ₱80.8

25.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.46 ₱87.9

73.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.28 ₱16.89

96.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.72 ₱43.44

344.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.23 ₱13.82

969.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$2.59 ₱156

23.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.08 ₱65.3

22.22%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$23.6K ₱1.4M

27.93%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$19.3K ₱1.2M

21.44%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$65.4 ₱3,938

24.41%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$31.64 ₱1,905

-29.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$30.48 ₱1,836

-1.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$33.81 ₱2,036

52.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$4.41 ₱265

317.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$4.30 ₱259

20.00%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$35.47 ₱2,136

468.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$4,332 ₱260.9K

22.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$46.11 ₱2,777

-22.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$23.43 ₱1,411

72.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$63.0 ₱3,793

24.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$26.74 ₱1,610

224.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$262 ₱15.8K

262.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$177 ₱10.7K

170.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$593 ₱35.7K

173.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$391 ₱23.5K

212.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$2,254 ₱135.7K

77.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$999 ₱60.1K

548.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$249 ₱15.0K

169.97%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Dipolog: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $262 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 170% 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 $21.00 in Dipolog. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 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 88% 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,033 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $688 in Dipolog. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $35.47 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 $688, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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 $688 versus $1,294 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.