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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $854 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,326 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,798 in Dumaguete.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 49% more expensive than Dumaguete, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Dumaguete 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.10 ₱187

282.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$738

$13.94 ₱842

207.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.52 ₱273

135.62%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.3

$2.24 ₱135

54.02%

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

$1.50 MX$25.88

$0.71 ₱43.04

111.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.33

$0.36 ₱21.81

163.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.1

$1.09 ₱65.9

177.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.3

$2.09 ₱126

120.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.68

$1.70 ₱103

-18.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.80

$1.43 ₱86.7

29.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.73

$0.97 ₱58.9

65.98%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.64

$2.00 ₱121

29.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$9.41 ₱568

-12.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.09 ₱308

64.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$184

$8.04 ₱486

32.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.25

$1.78 ₱108

47.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.61

$1.45 ₱87.5

2.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.04

$4.07 ₱246

-52.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.91

$1.45 ₱87.6

44.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.97

$2.37 ₱143

-21.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.92

$2.61 ₱158

-13.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.29

$0.90 ₱54.6

17.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.72

$0.60 ₱36.41

81.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.4

$2.62 ₱158

58.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$179

$8.01 ₱484

29.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.68

$1.23 ₱74.4

39.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.98

$1.97 ₱119

32.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.32

$0.47 ₱28.27

14.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$464

$8.97 ₱541

200.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.8

$0.83 ₱49.86

277.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.21

$0.25 ₱14.92

904.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.2

$0.91 ₱54.8

246.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.95

$1.15 ₱69.4

10.43%

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

$30.4K MX$522.8K

$23.2K ₱1.4M

30.89%

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

$23.6K MX$405.6K

$39.1K ₱2.4M

-39.66%

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

$83.0 MX$1,429

$73.2 ₱4,419

13.45%

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

$22.71 MX$391

$44.75 ₱2,703

-49.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$507

$29.04 ₱1,754

1.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$878

$23.81 ₱1,438

114.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$316

$3.65 ₱220

402.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.8

$6.24 ₱377

-20.99%

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

$197 MX$3,396

$72.5 ₱4,378

172.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.9K

$1,825 ₱110.2K

189.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$635

$107 ₱6,475

-65.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$687

$36.05 ₱2,177

10.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,377

$109 ₱6,561

-26.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,540

$82.8 ₱5,001

8.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.5K

$247 ₱14.9K

287.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,212

$209 ₱12.6K

128.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$443 ₱26.7K

271.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.1K

$419 ₱25.3K

192.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.4K

$3,067 ₱185.2K

27.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$111.2K

$698 ₱42.2K

825.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.5K

$291 ₱17.6K

128.85%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $247 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 129% 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 $250 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 49% in total monthly costs ($1,271 vs $854 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 129% 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $247 in Dumaguete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $854 in Dumaguete – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 200% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $854 in Dumaguete versus $1,271 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 49% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.