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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $806 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,208 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,611 in Dumaguete.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 57% more expensive than in Dumaguete, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Dumaguete 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.73 ₱234

210.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$15.69 ₱984

200.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.26 ₱267

178.87%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.32 ₱145

71.55%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.76 ₱47.96

88.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.43 ₱27.06

90.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.38 ₱86.5

131.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.89 ₱119

259.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.67 ₱105

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.32 ₱82.9

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.93 ₱58.5

83.87%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.74 ₱109

57.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.53 ₱535

12.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.30 ₱270

109.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.22 ₱453

77.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.61 ₱101

79.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.29 ₱81.0

16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.55 ₱222

-39.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.30 ₱81.6

73.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.51 ₱157

-21.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.32 ₱145

-14.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.77 ₱48.10

59.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.58 ₱36.52

106.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.40 ₱150

89.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.79 ₱551

17.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.13 ₱71.2

43.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.30 ₱81.3

121.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.38 ₱23.98

57.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$10.12 ₱635

184.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.70 ₱43.63

670.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.15 ₱9.33

2386.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$2.10 ₱132

174.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.98 ₱61.7

57.14%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

10.60%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$24.7K ₱1.5M

5.62%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$67.5 ₱4,235

35.34%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$9.72 ₱610

159.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$26.66 ₱1,672

17.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$24.38 ₱1,529

175.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$4.07 ₱255

615.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$6.96 ₱437

-30.17%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$59.2 ₱3,715

277.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$1,674 ₱105.0K

152.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$97.1 ₱6,089

-51.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$32.32 ₱2,027

37.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$99.4 ₱6,234

-19.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$113 ₱7,105

-18.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$234 ₱14.7K

353.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$209 ₱13.1K

86.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$434 ₱27.2K

395.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$357 ₱22.4K

256.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$3,061 ₱192.0K

30.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$668 ₱41.9K

872.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$279 ₱17.5K

171.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

63.57%

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 Dumaguete: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $234 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 172% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $16.00 in Dumaguete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $194 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 57% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $806 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 172% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $234 in Dumaguete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $806 in Dumaguete – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 185% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $806 in Dumaguete versus $1,266 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 57% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.