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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $505 in Mambajao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $801 in Mambajao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,097 in Mambajao, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 150% more than Mambajao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mambajao are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Mambajao 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$1.33 ₱83.3

772.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$16.14 ₱1,014

191.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.27 ₱205

263.30%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.26 ₱142

76.11%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.42 ₱26.34

240.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.27 ₱16.82

203.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.01 ₱63.4

215.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.12 ₱70.5

506.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$0.84 ₱52.6

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.58 ₱36.75

279.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.71 ₱44.69

140.85%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.25 ₱78.8

119.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.66 ₱356

69.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.19 ₱263

115.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$5.54 ₱348

131.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.34 ₱147

23.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.64 ₱103

-8.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.39 ₱150

-10.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.03 ₱64.5

119.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.24 ₱77.8

59.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.94 ₱122

2.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.75 ₱46.96

64.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.56 ₱35.36

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.66 ₱167

71.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.11 ₱510

27.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.99 ₱62.1

63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.18 ₱74.3

144.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.21 ₱13.08

185.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$10.85 ₱682

165.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.71 ₱44.74

659.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.25 ₱15.91

1392.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$1.74 ₱109

231.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.21 ₱76.2

27.27%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$24.1K ₱1.5M

-6.52%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$20.0K ₱1.3M

30.02%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$63.2 ₱3,972

44.54%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$15.57 ₱979

61.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$20.17 ₱1,267

54.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$27.25 ₱1,712

146.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$4.54 ₱285

541.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$4.57 ₱287

6.35%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$144 ₱9,078

54.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$7,573 ₱475.8K

-44.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$32.35 ₱2,033

45.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$21.79 ₱1,369

103.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$67.3 ₱4,225

19.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$49.23 ₱3,093

88.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$99.1 ₱6,228

971.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$56.0 ₱3,520

596.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$238 ₱14.9K

804.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$156 ₱9,806

714.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,958 ₱185.8K

35.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$927 ₱58.2K

601.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$151 ₱9,461

403.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.75

69.63%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mambajao: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $99.1 in Mambajao. 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 403% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $16.00 in Mambajao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $154 – making Mambajao 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 Mambajao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 150% more than Mambajao, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $758 in Mambajao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mambajao, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $505 in Mambajao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 165% less in Mambajao. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mambajao, where all-in costs run around $505, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Mambajao 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. Mambajao costs $505 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Mambajao. 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.