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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $839 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,320 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,801 in Dumaguete.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 50% more expensive than in Dumaguete, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Dumaguete 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.10 ₱190

278.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$14.40 ₱881

190.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.45 ₱272

136.18%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.32 ₱142

54.74%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.76 ₱46.56

98.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.40 ₱24.31

130.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.08 ₱66.1

174.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.09 ₱128

111.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.73 ₱106

-19.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.48 ₱90.5

27.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.96 ₱59.1

62.50%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.92 ₱117

35.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.50 ₱582

-12.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.26 ₱322

58.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.78 ₱476

39.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.75 ₱107

54.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.44 ₱87.9

4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$4.02 ₱246

-53.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.45 ₱88.6

51.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.39 ₱146

-22.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.62 ₱161

-14.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.87 ₱53.0

22.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.65 ₱39.74

67.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.60 ₱159

61.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$7.91 ₱484

31.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.17 ₱71.4

41.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.96 ₱120

33.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.51 ₱31.03

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$8.61 ₱527

203.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.82 ₱50.1

275.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.27 ₱16.54

788.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$0.93 ₱56.7

236.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.10 ₱67.2

19.09%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$23.1K ₱1.4M

28.78%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$39.0K ₱2.4M

-40.25%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$74.3 ₱4,546

9.44%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$43.56 ₱2,667

-48.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$29.45 ₱1,803

2.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$23.05 ₱1,411

129.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$3.47 ₱212

429.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.44 ₱394

-23.60%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$70.8 ₱4,334

183.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$1,834 ₱112.3K

182.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$107 ₱6,547

-66.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$35.49 ₱2,172

13.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$111 ₱6,780

-28.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$83.4 ₱5,107

3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$239 ₱14.6K

309.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$211 ₱12.9K

123.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$440 ₱26.9K

275.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$415 ₱25.4K

190.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$3,079 ₱188.5K

28.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$697 ₱42.7K

847.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$292 ₱17.9K

131.98%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $239 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 132% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $14.00 in Dumaguete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $212 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 50% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $839 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 132% 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $239 in Dumaguete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $839 in Dumaguete – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 204% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $839 in Dumaguete versus $1,260 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 50% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.