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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $682 in Iloilo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,034 in Iloilo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,386 in Iloilo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 90% more than Iloilo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Iloilo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Iloilo 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.59 ₱160

352.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$21.53 ₱1,328

93.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.60 ₱222

195.56%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.96 ₱121

79.59%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.57 ₱35.19

164.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.30 ₱18.37

223.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$0.95 ₱58.7

210.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.79 ₱110

148.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.81 ₱112

-23.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.26 ₱77.6

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.93 ₱57.3

76.34%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.27 ₱140

10.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.81 ₱358

43.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.35 ₱268

91.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.12 ₱439

50.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.70 ₱228

-29.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.14 ₱70.2

28.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.26 ₱201

-41.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.56 ₱96.4

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.59 ₱160

-31.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$3.04 ₱187

-27.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.68 ₱104

-38.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.90 ₱55.6

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.11 ₱192

31.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$5.51 ₱340

87.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.28 ₱78.9

33.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.44 ₱88.5

79.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.25 ₱15.50

104.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$5.27 ₱325

402.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.68 ₱41.68

379.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.31 ₱19.39

703.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.70 ₱167

20.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.10 ₱67.6

19.09%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$24.0K ₱1.5M

25.92%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$19.5K ₱1.2M

20.26%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$66.0 ₱4,070

25.56%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$31.13 ₱1,919

-28.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$30.21 ₱1,863

-2.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$27.72 ₱1,709

86.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.45 ₱336

-6.97%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$35.18 ₱2,169

470.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,364 ₱269.1K

19.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$44.89 ₱2,768

-17.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$22.74 ₱1,402

74.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$61.3 ₱3,777

28.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$26.86 ₱1,656

224.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$237 ₱14.6K

310.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$179 ₱11.0K

161.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$357 ₱22.0K

360.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$285 ₱17.6K

327.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$3,776 ₱232.9K

4.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,049 ₱64.7K

519.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$222 ₱13.7K

199.71%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Iloilo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $237 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 200% 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 $22.00 in Iloilo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $202 – 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 90%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,023 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 $22.00 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $682 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 $682, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.