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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $531 in Madang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,183 in Madang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,834 in Madang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 136% more than Madang, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Madang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Madang 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$6.81 PGK 29.95

76.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$38.42 PGK 169

8.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$10.63 PGK 46.76

1.13%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.46 PGK 10.83

42.28%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.19 PGK 5.22

21.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.76 PGK 3.33

15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.92 PGK 12.87

1.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.36 PGK 19.21

3.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.97 PGK 8.65

-27.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.47 PGK 6.46

25.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.41 PGK 6.20

11.35%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.40 PGK 14.97

-26.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.60 PGK 24.66

50.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.37 PGK 36.85

27.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$5.23 PGK 23.02

-50.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.43 PGK 10.70

-40.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.00 PGK 4.39

96.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.89 PGK 8.30

10.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$4.78 PGK 21.03

-61.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.94 PGK 12.96

-26.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$5.96 PGK 26.23

-82.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.50 PGK 2.21

114.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$5.17 PGK 22.75

-20.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.11 PGK 9.28

-20.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.38 PGK 10.46

6.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.07 PGK 4.70

23.36%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$68.4 PGK 301

19.92%

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

$22.95 MX$400

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$24.39 PGK 107

23.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

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

$197 MX$3,438

$80.1 PGK 353

146.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$5,952 PGK 26.2K

-10.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$19.02 PGK 83.7

87.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$14.14 PGK 62.2

185.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$67.2 PGK 296

17.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$28.64 PGK 126

210.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$942 PGK 4,147

74.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$604 PGK 2,658

100.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Madang: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.00 in Madang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $226 – making Madang 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 Madang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 136% more than Madang, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $797 in Madang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $38.00 in Madang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 Madang, where all-in costs run around $531, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Madang 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. Madang costs $531 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Madang. 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.