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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $622 in Mambajao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,019 in Mambajao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,417 in Mambajao, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 102% more than Mambajao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mambajao are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Mambajao 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$1.54 ₱95.1

678.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$27.01 ₱1,663

54.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$4.38 ₱270

145.43%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$3.14 ₱193

11.46%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.33 ₱81.9

9.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.77 ₱47.46

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.14 ₱70.2

158.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.71 ₱167

66.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.27 ₱78.4

12.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.92 ₱56.5

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.89 ₱55.0

76.40%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.40 ₱86.0

79.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$8.20 ₱505

0.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$4.29 ₱264

96.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$6.33 ₱390

68.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.90 ₱178

-10.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.35 ₱83.3

6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$2.58 ₱159

-24.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.55 ₱95.6

34.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.37 ₱146

-21.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.60 ₱160

-16.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.08 ₱66.3

-4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.75 ₱46.26

42.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.77 ₱171

48.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$8.07 ₱497

26.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.12 ₱68.9

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.24 ₱76.2

104.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.22 ₱13.56

131.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.76 ₱46.97

325.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.24 ₱14.79

904.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.10 ₱129

53.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.41 ₱86.8

-6.38%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$26.3K ₱1.6M

13.06%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

15.96%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$85.4 ₱5,257

-3.96%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$32.83 ₱2,021

-30.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$22.08 ₱1,359

36.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$33.81 ₱2,081

53.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$4.51 ₱278

310.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$5.79 ₱357

-13.99%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$154 ₱9,484

28.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$4,293 ₱264.3K

24.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$45.12 ₱2,778

-21.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$26.21 ₱1,614

53.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$74.7 ₱4,601

5.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$53.0 ₱3,263

67.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$132 ₱8,112

618.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$87.0 ₱5,357

444.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$290 ₱17.8K

467.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$193 ₱11.9K

526.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$2,672 ₱164.5K

51.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,083 ₱66.6K

497.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$153 ₱9,436

326.63%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mambajao: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $132 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 327% 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 $27.00 in Mambajao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $187 – 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 102% 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $933 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $622 in Mambajao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $154 in Mambajao. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mambajao, where all-in costs run around $622, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $622 versus $1,256 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.