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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $779 in Legazpi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,189 in Legazpi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,599 in Legazpi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 62% more than Legazpi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Legazpi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Legazpi 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.59 ₱219

226.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$24.06 ₱1,473

74.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.02 ₱185

248.01%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.23 ₱137

60.99%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.42 ₱25.87

259.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.36 ₱22.07

155.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$0.94 ₱57.3

214.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.64 ₱223

21.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.64 ₱100

-14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.31 ₱80.2

43.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.93 ₱56.7

67.74%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.07 ₱127

26.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.45 ₱762

-33.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.00 ₱245

108.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.05 ₱431

54.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.84 ₱174

-4.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.18 ₱134

-30.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.54 ₱217

-47.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.80 ₱110

21.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.61 ₱160

-28.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.72 ₱106

29.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.74 ₱107

-38.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.86 ₱52.8

26.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.55 ₱279

-7.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$8.20 ₱502

27.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.12 ₱68.5

48.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.65 ₱223

-28.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.24 ₱14.70

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.62 ₱37.78

396.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.25 ₱15.27

860.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.63 ₱161

19.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.21 ₱74.3

8.26%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$27.1K ₱1.7M

10.18%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.0K ₱1.2M

16.49%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$146 ₱8,943

-44.37%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$24.10 ₱1,475

-6.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$35.88 ₱2,196

-16.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$34.17 ₱2,092

54.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.55 ₱278

304.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.44 ₱333

-9.56%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$70.2 ₱4,295

186.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,336 ₱265.4K

19.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$45.68 ₱2,796

-21.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$26.39 ₱1,615

52.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$72.3 ₱4,427

10.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$72.0 ₱4,410

20.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$158 ₱9,699

517.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$106 ₱6,463

345.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$377 ₱23.1K

338.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$218 ₱13.3K

453.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,670 ₱163.5K

48.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,118 ₱68.4K

491.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$269 ₱16.5K

151.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.12

12.85%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Legazpi: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $158 in Legazpi. 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 151% 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 $24.00 in Legazpi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $228 – making Legazpi 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 Legazpi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $779 in Legazpi – roughly 62% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,168 in Legazpi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Legazpi, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $779 in Legazpi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $70.2 in Legazpi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Legazpi, where all-in costs run around $779, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Legazpi 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 $779 in Legazpi to $1,260 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 Legazpi. 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.