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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $760 in Imus, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,138 in Imus, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,516 in Imus, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 71% more than Imus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Imus are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Imus 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.30 ₱265

172.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$21.66 ₱1,336

92.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.14 ₱193

238.85%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.83 ₱175

24.38%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.87 ₱53.7

73.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.34 ₱21.09

185.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.27 ₱78.2

132.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.72 ₱168

63.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.19 ₱135

-36.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.24 ₱76.5

52.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.01 ₱62.3

62.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.02 ₱124

24.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.19 ₱443

15.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.27 ₱264

95.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.14 ₱440

50.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.29 ₱141

13.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.51 ₱93.4

-3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.01 ₱186

-36.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.65 ₱102

26.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.75 ₱108

1.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$3.55 ₱219

-38.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.59 ₱97.9

-34.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.90 ₱55.4

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.14 ₱194

29.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.96 ₱552

15.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.40 ₱86.5

22.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.95 ₱120

32.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.43 ₱26.25

18.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.83 ₱51.2

292.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.24 ₱14.82

937.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.12 ₱131

53.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.16 ₱71.6

12.93%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$26.1K ₱1.6M

16.06%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$17.9K ₱1.1M

30.72%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$129 ₱7,952

-35.74%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$33.30 ₱2,054

-33.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$26.95 ₱1,662

8.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$34.20 ₱2,109

50.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.48 ₱277

308.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.16 ₱441

-29.19%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$80.8 ₱4,982

148.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,376 ₱269.8K

19.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$31.51 ₱1,943

17.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$29.33 ₱1,809

35.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$67.4 ₱4,154

16.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$93.8 ₱5,785

-7.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$133 ₱8,186

632.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$111 ₱6,816

323.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$218 ₱13.4K

652.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$183 ₱11.3K

568.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,311 ₱142.5K

70.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$957 ₱59.0K

578.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$177 ₱10.9K

274.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.17

85.09%

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 Imus: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $133 in Imus. 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 274% 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 Imus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $210 – making Imus 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 Imus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $760 in Imus – roughly 71% 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 $1,141 in Imus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 19% 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 Imus, where all-in costs run around $760, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Imus 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 $760 in Imus to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Imus. 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.