Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ligao City

For one person, living is cheaper in Ligao City: $731 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Ligao City
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Ligao City Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Ligao City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$731

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Ligao City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Ligao City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $731 in Ligao City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Ligao City $731

A couple spends around $2,102 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,112 in Ligao City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,102
Ligao City $1,112

A family of three spends $3,000 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,493 in Ligao City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $3,000
Ligao City $1,493

Playa del Carmen costs about 65% more than Ligao City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ligao City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Ligao City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 MX$201

$3.82 ₱240

184.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.21 MX$817

$16.76 ₱1,055

163.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 MX$217

$2.77 ₱174

324.55%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.0

$2.18 ₱137

68.81%

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

$1.34 MX$24.79

$0.61 ₱38.65

119.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$15.24

$0.33 ₱20.98

148.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 MX$56.6

$1.14 ₱71.7

168.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 MX$91.2

$1.93 ₱121

155.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$27.17

$1.64 ₱103

-10.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$40.95

$1.12 ₱70.6

98.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MX$27.32

$0.92 ₱58.1

60.87%

Eggs

$2.49 MX$45.99

$1.88 ₱119

32.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 MX$139

$5.63 ₱355

33.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 MX$147

$4.27 ₱269

86.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.57 MX$232

$7.26 ₱457

73.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$51.3

$2.42 ₱153

14.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MX$26.37

$1.59 ₱100.0

-10.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MX$48.37

$2.35 ₱148

11.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$39.49

$1.13 ₱71.3

89.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$37.38

$1.93 ₱122

4.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$36.74

$2.02 ₱127

-1.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MX$21.01

$0.93 ₱58.5

22.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$22.18

$0.58 ₱36.44

106.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MX$78.7

$3.01 ₱189

41.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.02 MX$185

$7.67 ₱483

30.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$28.41

$0.93 ₱58.6

65.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MX$49.17

$1.86 ₱117

43.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MX$9.73

$0.24 ₱15.10

120.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.51 MX$508

$11.02 ₱694

149.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 MX$90.6

$0.73 ₱46.21

571.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.43 MX$63.5

$0.23 ₱14.51

1391.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 MX$99.4

$1.87 ₱118

187.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$26.76

$1.24 ₱78.0

16.94%

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

$21.2K MX$391.0K

$21.8K ₱1.4M

-2.76%

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

$23.0K MX$425.3K

$18.9K ₱1.2M

21.77%

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

$85.4 MX$1,577

$121 ₱7,622

-29.49%

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

$23.46 MX$434

$14.98 ₱943

56.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.43 MX$525

$24.57 ₱1,547

15.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.2 MX$1,149

$32.97 ₱2,076

88.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.68 MX$530

$4.78 ₱301

500.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 MX$94.3

$5.09 ₱321

0.20%

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

$201 MX$3,715

$133 ₱8,387

50.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,947 MX$72.9K

$8,007 ₱504.1K

-50.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.39 MX$820

$32.54 ₱2,049

36.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.35 MX$764

$19.19 ₱1,208

115.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 MX$1,344

$72.8 ₱4,583

-0.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 MX$1,656

$56.7 ₱3,572

57.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 MX$18.1K

$272 ₱17.1K

260.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MX$6,887

$174 ₱10.9K

114.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,681 MX$31.1K

$528 ₱33.2K

218.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 MX$20.2K

$355 ₱22.4K

208.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,949 MX$73.0K

$2,415 ₱152.0K

63.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,137 MX$113.4K

$1,005 ₱63.3K

510.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$738 MX$13.6K

$273 ₱17.2K

169.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.79

68.63%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Ligao City: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$373 31%

Ligao City

$174 23.8% 53.4% $199

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5%

Ligao City

$180 24.6% 30.4% $79

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6%

Ligao City

$78 10.7% 60.9% $122

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Ligao City

$161 22% 17% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Ligao City

$82 11.2% 26.9% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$72 6%

Ligao City

$43 5.9% 40.4% $29

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3%

Ligao City

$14 1.9% 73.2% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $272 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 170% 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 $44.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.00 in Ligao City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $180 – making Ligao City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇵🇭 Ligao City

🕒 Local time

06:41 6:41 AM

19:41 7:41 PM

13 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

3,955

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Playa del Carmen Ligao City 14,980 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Ligao City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 65%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,096 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.

Groceries cost about 44% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Playa del Carmen and $17.00 in Ligao City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ligao City, where all-in costs run around $731, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. 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.