Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Magallanes, Cavite Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Magallanes, Cavite

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $778 in Magallanes, Cavite, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,216 in Magallanes, Cavite, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,653 in Magallanes, Cavite, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 67% more than Magallanes, Cavite, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Magallanes, Cavite are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Magallanes, Cavite 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.58 ₱221

227.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$18.07 ₱1,114

130.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.27 ₱202

225.38%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.42 ₱149

45.45%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.77 ₱47.65

96.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.39 ₱24.15

148.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.34 ₱82.8

120.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.18 ₱135

104.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.88 ₱116

-26.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.21 ₱74.6

56.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.01 ₱62.2

62.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.02 ₱124

24.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.80 ₱481

6.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.28 ₱264

94.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.94 ₱490

35.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.99 ₱185

-13.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.60 ₱98.5

-8.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.67 ₱165

-28.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.62 ₱99.7

28.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.22 ₱137

-19.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.52 ₱156

-13.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.11 ₱68.3

-6.31%

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

$7.68 ₱474

34.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.15 ₱71.0

48.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.96 ₱121

31.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.26 ₱15.87

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.81 ₱50.1

302.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.24 ₱14.84

937.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.11 ₱130

54.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.13 ₱69.8

15.93%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$26.3K ₱1.6M

15.32%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.3K ₱1.3M

15.31%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$111 ₱6,819

-25.06%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$32.74 ₱2,019

-32.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$27.08 ₱1,670

8.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$33.69 ₱2,077

53.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.51 ₱278

306.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.85 ₱361

-13.33%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$151 ₱9,308

33.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,337 ₱267.4K

20.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$45.84 ₱2,827

-19.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$26.69 ₱1,646

49.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$74.6 ₱4,603

5.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$53.5 ₱3,300

62.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$264 ₱16.3K

268.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$175 ₱10.8K

167.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$589 ₱36.3K

178.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$401 ₱24.7K

204.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,646 ₱163.2K

49.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,110 ₱68.5K

485.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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 Magallanes, Cavite: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $264 in Magallanes, Cavite. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Magallanes, Cavite. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $205 – making Magallanes, Cavite 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 Magallanes, Cavite: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 67% more than Magallanes, Cavite, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,167 in Magallanes, Cavite. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Magallanes, Cavite, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $18.00 in Magallanes, Cavite. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 Magallanes, Cavite, where all-in costs run around $778, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Magallanes, Cavite 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. Magallanes, Cavite costs $778 versus $1,297 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 Magallanes, Cavite. 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.