Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Island Garden City of Samal Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Island Garden City of Samal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $716 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,102 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,488 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 77% more than Island Garden City of Samal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Island Garden City of Samal are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Island Garden City of Samal 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$1.22 ₱77.0

850.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$17.00 ₱1,068

177.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.93 ₱247

202.29%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.14 ₱134

85.98%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.04 ₱65.6

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.67 ₱42.37

22.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.12 ₱70.1

184.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.91 ₱120

255.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$2.00 ₱126

-16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.09 ₱68.6

101.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.85 ₱53.2

101.18%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.88 ₱118

45.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.61 ₱415

44.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.19 ₱263

115.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$8.39 ₱527

52.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.67 ₱168

8.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.11 ₱69.8

35.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.17 ₱137

-0.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.16 ₱72.6

94.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$2.08 ₱131

-4.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$3.56 ₱224

-44.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.23 ₱77.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.70 ₱44.27

71.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.53 ₱159

79.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.87 ₱495

31.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.24 ₱78.1

30.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.57 ₱98.9

83.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.29 ₱18.53

106.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$10.34 ₱649

178.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.78 ₱48.84

591.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.23 ₱14.35

1521.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$1.96 ₱123

194.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.17 ₱73.6

31.62%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$21.4K ₱1.3M

5.28%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$19.2K ₱1.2M

36.05%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$101 ₱6,347

-9.55%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$19.15 ₱1,203

31.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$31.83 ₱2,000

-1.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$32.81 ₱2,061

104.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$4.23 ₱266

588.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$4.70 ₱295

3.40%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$109 ₱6,846

105.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$7,658 ₱481.1K

-44.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$31.98 ₱2,009

47.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$19.21 ₱1,207

130.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$72.0 ₱4,524

11.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$61.1 ₱3,840

51.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$252 ₱15.8K

322.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$155 ₱9,707

152.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$565 ₱35.5K

280.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$300 ₱18.8K

324.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,863 ₱179.9K

39.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,092 ₱68.6K

495.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

8.31

37.79%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $252 in Island Garden City of Samal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $194 – making Island Garden City of Samal 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 Island Garden City of Samal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 77% more than Island Garden City of Samal, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,074 in Island Garden City of Samal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $716 in Island Garden City of Samal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 179% less in Island Garden City of Samal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Island Garden City of Samal, where all-in costs run around $716, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Island Garden City of Samal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Island Garden City of Samal costs $716 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Island Garden City of Samal. 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.