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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $719 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,097 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,476 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 79% 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 4% lower, Island Garden City of Samal 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$1.31 ₱80.2

811.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$12.51 ₱765

241.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$4.47 ₱274

136.91%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.13 ₱131

69.95%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.81 ₱49.69

81.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.53 ₱32.45

77.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.45 ₱88.8

113.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$1.82 ₱111

145.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.21 ₱74.3

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.60 ₱36.60

213.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$0.69 ₱42.18

136.23%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$2.05 ₱126

28.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$5.88 ₱360

39.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$3.25 ₱199

155.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$5.27 ₱323

110.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$2.89 ₱177

-8.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.13 ₱69.4

32.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$2.29 ₱140

-13.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.27 ₱77.6

63.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$2.30 ₱141

-22.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.58 ₱96.4

37.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.90 ₱55.3

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.50 ₱30.46

108.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$2.63 ₱161

50.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$8.18 ₱500

24.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.24 ₱76.0

39.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$1.22 ₱74.5

104.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.28 ₱17.21

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.69 ₱42.16

355.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.09 ₱5.78

2566.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$2.17 ₱132

42.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.15 ₱70.1

10.43%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$21.9K ₱1.3M

40.70%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

12.24%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$100 ₱6,125

-18.09%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$34.22 ₱2,094

-34.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$36.41 ₱2,227

-18.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$34.49 ₱2,110

50.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$4.36 ₱267

328.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$4.39 ₱268

13.21%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$120 ₱7,321

65.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$4,354 ₱266.4K

21.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$46.40 ₱2,839

-21.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$29.67 ₱1,815

34.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$76.4 ₱4,672

4.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$69.2 ₱4,235

28.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$262 ₱16.0K

267.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$176 ₱10.8K

164.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$595 ₱36.4K

168.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$402 ₱24.6K

200.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$2,083 ₱127.5K

89.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.56

19.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $262 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $160 – 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 79% 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,078 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $13.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Island Garden City of Samal, where all-in costs run around $719, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $719 versus $1,287 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.