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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $849 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,324 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,799 in Dumaguete.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 51% more expensive than Dumaguete, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Dumaguete 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.14 ₱193

280.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$13.99 ₱863

205.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.35 ₱269

143.45%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.22 ₱137

63.06%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.77 ₱47.78

90.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.40 ₱24.47

135.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.08 ₱66.6

186.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.12 ₱131

110.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.69 ₱104

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.46 ₱90.3

28.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.00 ₱61.7

63.00%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.92 ₱118

37.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.50 ₱586

-13.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.12 ₱316

61.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.68 ₱474

44.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.79 ₱111

48.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.45 ₱89.5

3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.95 ₱244

-49.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.39 ₱85.6

49.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.47 ₱152

-27.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.64 ₱163

-17.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.85 ₱52.7

27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.60 ₱37.07

73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.61 ₱161

52.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.08 ₱498

26.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.22 ₱75.5

41.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.07 ₱127

20.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.50 ₱31.13

4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$8.75 ₱539

208.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.82 ₱50.5

282.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.27 ₱16.74

788.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$0.85 ₱52.5

263.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.15 ₱70.9

10.43%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$22.9K ₱1.4M

35.01%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$39.2K ₱2.4M

-40.53%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$72.6 ₱4,476

13.01%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$44.66 ₱2,755

-49.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$28.78 ₱1,775

3.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$23.73 ₱1,464

118.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$3.63 ₱224

414.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.17 ₱380

-19.45%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$72.3 ₱4,458

173.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$1,875 ₱115.6K

181.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$108 ₱6,651

-66.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$35.67 ₱2,200

12.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$110 ₱6,793

-27.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$85.8 ₱5,289

3.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$246 ₱15.1K

292.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$212 ₱13.1K

119.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$434 ₱26.8K

267.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$424 ₱26.1K

185.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$3,145 ₱194.0K

25.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$702 ₱43.3K

818.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$294 ₱18.1K

145.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.5

75.69%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $246 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 145% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $14.00 in Dumaguete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $211 per month, with Dumaguete 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 Dumaguete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Dumaguete differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,287 vs $849 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 145% 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $246 in Dumaguete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $849 in Dumaguete – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 208% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $849 in Dumaguete versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dumaguete but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Dumaguete the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Dumaguete 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 Dumaguete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.