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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $765 in Legazpi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,159 in Legazpi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,552 in Legazpi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 66% 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 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.48 ₱211

241.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$24.29 ₱1,475

76.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.16 ₱192

237.03%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.17 ₱132

58.99%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.45 ₱27.50

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.33 ₱20.31

187.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$0.92 ₱56.2

229.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.53 ₱215

30.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.72 ₱104

-19.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.32 ₱80.3

40.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.00 ₱60.9

61.00%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.16 ₱131

19.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$12.56 ₱763

-34.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.99 ₱242

109.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.12 ₱432

49.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.85 ₱173

-7.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.10 ₱128

-29.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.53 ₱214

-45.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.72 ₱104

21.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.64 ₱160

-29.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.81 ₱110

24.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.73 ₱105

-38.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.93 ₱56.7

17.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$4.34 ₱263

-4.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$8.17 ₱496

27.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.13 ₱68.5

52.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.60 ₱219

-27.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.22 ₱13.28

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.62 ₱37.52

404.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.27 ₱16.40

829.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.71 ₱165

16.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.22 ₱74.1

4.10%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$26.1K ₱1.6M

16.35%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.0K ₱1.2M

17.65%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$150 ₱9,080

-44.50%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$23.58 ₱1,432

-3.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$35.61 ₱2,162

-17.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$33.72 ₱2,048

51.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$4.49 ₱273

308.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.41 ₱329

-8.87%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$72.1 ₱4,375

173.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,378 ₱265.9K

20.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$45.40 ₱2,757

-18.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$26.81 ₱1,628

48.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$70.6 ₱4,288

13.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$70.7 ₱4,293

26.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$157 ₱9,557

507.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$106 ₱6,435

350.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$379 ₱23.0K

333.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$223 ₱13.5K

449.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,540 ₱154.2K

54.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,055 ₱64.1K

512.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$273 ₱16.6K

144.37%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Legazpi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $157 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 144% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $24.00 in Legazpi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $230 – 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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $765 in Legazpi – roughly 66% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,148 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $765 in Legazpi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $72.1 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 $765, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $765 in Legazpi to $1,271 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.