Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ligao City Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ligao City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $763 in Ligao City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,207 in Ligao City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,651 in Ligao City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 70% more than Ligao City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.53 ₱218

232.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$18.05 ₱1,113

130.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.29 ₱203

223.40%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.40 ₱148

46.67%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.78 ₱48.05

93.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.40 ₱24.59

142.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.31 ₱80.7

125.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.08 ₱128

113.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.89 ₱117

-26.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.22 ₱75.3

54.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.94 ₱58.0

74.47%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.99 ₱123

26.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.12 ₱501

2.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.23 ₱261

97.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.52 ₱463

42.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.98 ₱184

-12.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.58 ₱97.4

-7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.72 ₱168

-30.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.54 ₱94.8

35.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.32 ₱143

-23.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.50 ₱154

-12.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.10 ₱68.1

-5.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.72 ₱44.68

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.80 ₱173

45.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.11 ₱500

27.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.20 ₱73.8

42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.99 ₱123

29.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.28 ₱17.33

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.77 ₱47.20

323.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.24 ₱14.87

937.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.08 ₱128

56.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.14 ₱70.6

14.91%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$26.5K ₱1.6M

14.08%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.3K ₱1.3M

15.35%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$111 ₱6,864

-25.55%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$32.80 ₱2,022

-32.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$27.10 ₱1,671

8.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$34.11 ₱2,104

51.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.51 ₱278

306.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.86 ₱361

-13.48%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$153 ₱9,411

31.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,345 ₱267.9K

19.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$46.16 ₱2,846

-20.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$26.66 ₱1,644

49.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$74.4 ₱4,585

5.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$53.2 ₱3,278

63.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$270 ₱16.6K

260.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$177 ₱10.9K

164.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$588 ₱36.3K

178.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$390 ₱24.1K

212.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,432 ₱150.0K

62.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$960 ₱59.2K

576.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$286 ₱17.6K

132.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.67

71.21%

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 Ligao City: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $270 in Ligao City. 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 132% 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 $18.00 in Ligao City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $205 – making Ligao City 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 Ligao City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 70%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,144 in Ligao City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ligao City, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $763 in Ligao City. 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 $153 in Ligao City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ligao City, where all-in costs run around $763, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Ligao City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ligao City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ligao City. 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.