Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Iligan City

For one person, living is cheaper in Iligan City: $744 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Iligan City
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Iligan City Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Iligan City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$744

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Iligan City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Iligan City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $744 in Iligan City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Iligan City $744

A couple spends around $2,102 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,121 in Iligan City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,102
Iligan City $1,121

A family of three spends $3,000 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,498 in Iligan City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $3,000
Iligan City $1,498

Playa del Carmen costs about 62% more than Iligan City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Iligan City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Iligan City 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 MX$201

$3.82 ₱241

184.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.21 MX$817

$14.87 ₱936

197.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 MX$217

$2.74 ₱172

329.20%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.0

$2.44 ₱154

50.82%

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

$1.34 MX$24.79

$0.67 ₱42.23

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$15.24

$0.33 ₱21.02

148.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 MX$56.6

$1.13 ₱71.1

170.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 MX$91.2

$1.99 ₱126

148.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$27.17

$1.92 ₱121

-23.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$40.95

$1.11 ₱69.8

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MX$27.32

$0.93 ₱58.3

59.14%

Eggs

$2.49 MX$45.99

$1.94 ₱122

28.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 MX$139

$5.55 ₱349

35.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 MX$147

$4.24 ₱267

87.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.57 MX$232

$7.03 ₱443

78.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$51.3

$2.44 ₱154

13.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MX$26.37

$1.59 ₱100

-10.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MX$48.37

$2.41 ₱152

8.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$39.49

$1.18 ₱74.4

81.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$37.38

$1.98 ₱125

2.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$36.74

$1.97 ₱124

1.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MX$21.01

$1.00 ₱62.7

14.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$22.18

$0.54 ₱33.96

122.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MX$78.7

$3.33 ₱209

27.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.02 MX$185

$7.75 ₱488

29.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$28.41

$0.98 ₱61.9

57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MX$49.17

$1.94 ₱122

37.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MX$9.73

$0.24 ₱14.97

120.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.51 MX$508

$10.68 ₱673

157.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 MX$90.6

$0.73 ₱45.73

571.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.43 MX$63.5

$0.24 ₱15.09

1329.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 MX$99.4

$2.05 ₱129

162.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$26.76

$1.27 ₱79.7

14.17%

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

$21.2K MX$391.0K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

2.06%

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

$23.0K MX$425.3K

$20.6K ₱1.3M

11.93%

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

$85.4 MX$1,577

$127 ₱7,992

-32.76%

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

$23.46 MX$434

$15.20 ₱957

54.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.43 MX$525

$24.59 ₱1,548

15.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.2 MX$1,149

$32.05 ₱2,018

94.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.68 MX$530

$4.84 ₱305

492.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 MX$94.3

$5.09 ₱321

0.20%

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

$201 MX$3,715

$146 ₱9,209

37.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,947 MX$72.9K

$6,850 ₱431.3K

-42.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.39 MX$820

$32.15 ₱2,024

38.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.35 MX$764

$21.34 ₱1,344

93.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 MX$1,344

$70.8 ₱4,455

2.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 MX$1,656

$61.7 ₱3,884

45.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 MX$18.1K

$111 ₱7,004

780.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MX$6,887

$173 ₱10.9K

115.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,681 MX$31.1K

$507 ₱31.9K

231.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 MX$20.2K

$347 ₱21.9K

215.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,949 MX$73.0K

$2,447 ₱154.1K

61.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,137 MX$113.4K

$866 ₱54.5K

608.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$738 MX$13.6K

$194 ₱12.2K

279.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.79

68.63%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Iligan City: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$373 31%

Iligan City

$173 23.3% 53.6% $200

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5%

Iligan City

$183 24.6% 29.3% $76

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6%

Iligan City

$82 11% 59.1% $118

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Iligan City

$167 22.4% 21.5% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Iligan City

$84 11.3% 25.1% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$72 6%

Iligan City

$42 5.7% 41.7% $30

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3%

Iligan City

$14 1.8% 73.8% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $111 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 280% 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 $44.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $15.00 in Iligan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $183 – making Iligan City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇵🇭 Iligan City

🕒 Local time

05:09 5:09 AM

18:09 6:09 PM

13 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

342,618

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Playa del Carmen Iligan City 15,320 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Iligan City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, $744 in Iligan City – roughly 62% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,115 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.

Public transport costs about 158% less in Iligan City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $146 in Iligan City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iligan City, where all-in costs run around $744, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. 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 $744 in Iligan City to $1,204 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.