Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Iloilo Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Iloilo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $699 in Iloilo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,062 in Iloilo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,425 in Iloilo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 80% more than Iloilo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Iloilo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Iloilo 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$2.73 ₱168

339.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$731

$21.10 ₱1,299

98.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$188

$3.64 ₱224

195.33%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.1

$1.98 ₱122

76.77%

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

$1.45 MX$25.33

$0.53 ₱32.54

173.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.47

$0.30 ₱18.18

193.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.6

$0.96 ₱58.9

207.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.9

$1.73 ₱107

160.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.04

$1.80 ₱111

-20.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.13

$1.26 ₱77.3

46.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.42

$0.89 ₱54.6

76.40%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.92

$2.26 ₱139

11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$5.85 ₱360

41.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.36 ₱269

93.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$7.00 ₱431

52.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.62

$3.56 ₱219

-26.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.15

$1.14 ₱70.0

26.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.31

$3.41 ₱210

-42.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.62

$1.59 ₱98.1

31.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.37

$2.65 ₱163

-30.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.90

$3.00 ₱185

-27.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.04

$1.70 ₱104

-39.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.78

$0.93 ₱57.2

15.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.7

$3.15 ₱194

30.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$5.73 ₱353

77.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.29

$1.33 ₱81.7

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.17

$1.40 ₱86.0

80.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.25 ₱15.49

104.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$455

$5.17 ₱318

403.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$0.68 ₱41.97

375.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.06

$0.29 ₱17.84

731.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$2.69 ₱166

20.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.10

$1.10 ₱67.5

20.00%

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

$29.7K MX$519.2K

$24.3K ₱1.5M

22.05%

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

$23.7K MX$413.7K

$19.2K ₱1.2M

22.97%

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

$82.0 MX$1,434

$66.2 ₱4,076

23.86%

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

$22.95 MX$401

$30.98 ₱1,907

-25.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$527

$30.56 ₱1,881

-1.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$909

$26.79 ₱1,649

93.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.0

$5.43 ₱334

-8.29%

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

$197 MX$3,452

$35.86 ₱2,207

450.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.3K

$4,353 ₱268.0K

22.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$622

$43.56 ₱2,682

-18.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$705

$23.27 ₱1,433

73.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,377

$62.4 ₱3,842

26.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$27.07 ₱1,666

228.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$241 ₱14.8K

292.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,288

$177 ₱10.9K

167.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.7K

$360 ₱22.2K

356.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$286 ₱17.6K

323.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.9K

$3,729 ₱229.6K

8.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.1K

$1,059 ₱65.2K

510.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$208 ₱12.8K

213.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Iloilo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $241 in Iloilo. 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 214% 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 $21.00 in Iloilo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $203 – making Iloilo 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 Iloilo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 80%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,048 in Iloilo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iloilo, 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 $21.00 in Iloilo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $699 in Iloilo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Iloilo, where all-in costs run around $699, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Iloilo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Iloilo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Iloilo. 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.