Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Iligan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Iligan City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $773 in Iligan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,212 in Iligan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,652 in Iligan City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 68% more than Iligan City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Iligan City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Iligan City 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.63 ₱224

223.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$17.83 ₱1,099

133.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.33 ₱206

219.52%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.42 ₱149

45.45%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.82 ₱50.6

84.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.37 ₱22.52

162.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.30 ₱80.4

126.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.17 ₱134

105.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.29 ₱141

-39.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.26 ₱77.8

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.95 ₱58.8

72.63%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.99 ₱123

26.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.06 ₱497

3.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.78 ₱294

74.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.62 ₱470

40.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.84 ₱175

-8.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.57 ₱97.1

-7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.61 ₱161

-27.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.55 ₱95.8

34.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.30 ₱142

-22.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.61 ₱161

-16.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.07 ₱66.2

-2.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.71 ₱43.75

52.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.86 ₱176

42.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.81 ₱481

32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.16 ₱71.6

47.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.06 ₱127

25.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.28 ₱17.30

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.82 ₱50.7

297.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.24 ₱14.89

937.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.11 ₱130

54.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.15 ₱70.9

13.91%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$26.6K ₱1.6M

13.95%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

14.80%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$111 ₱6,842

-25.32%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$32.75 ₱2,020

-32.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$27.09 ₱1,670

8.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$34.33 ₱2,117

50.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.36 ₱269

320.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.91 ₱364

-14.21%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$149 ₱9,166

35.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,288 ₱264.4K

21.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$45.70 ₱2,818

-19.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$26.21 ₱1,616

51.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$75.2 ₱4,637

4.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$52.4 ₱3,228

66.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$268 ₱16.5K

262.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$175 ₱10.8K

167.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$583 ₱36.0K

181.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$388 ₱23.9K

214.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,395 ₱147.7K

64.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,077 ₱66.4K

503.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$202 ₱12.4K

228.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.67

71.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Iligan City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $268 in Iligan City. 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 229% 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 $18.00 in Iligan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $211 – making Iligan City 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 Iligan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $773 in Iligan City – roughly 68% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,159 in Iligan City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iligan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $18.00 in Iligan City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iligan City, where all-in costs run around $773, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Iligan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $773 in Iligan City to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Iligan City. 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.