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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $582 in Manado, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $892 in Manado, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,202 in Manado, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 118% more than Manado, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Manado are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Manado 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

889.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$9.45 Rp 169.2K

353.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.11 Rp 55.7K

242.44%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.62 Rp 29.1K

112.96%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.30 Rp 5,314

400.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.26 Rp 4,685

265.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.79 Rp 67.9K

-20.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$5.67 Rp 101.6K

-18.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

17.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

107.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

114.67%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.89 Rp 33.8K

37.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.16 Rp 146.3K

1.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.23 Rp 57.9K

159.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.00 Rp 143.3K

33.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.84 Rp 50.9K

-7.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

2.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.29 Rp 23.0K

62.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.33 Rp 23.9K

39.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

20.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.97 Rp 17.3K

9.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.48 Rp 8,603

127.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.44 Rp 43.6K

70.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$20.81 Rp 372.8K

-50.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

-6.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.21 Rp 57.6K

-18.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.35 Rp 6,341

54.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$10.11 Rp 181.1K

166.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.54 Rp 9,601

479.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.37 Rp 6,652

578.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.93 Rp 52.5K

7.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

64.94%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$24.5K Rp 438.1M

24.21%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$27.2K Rp 487.3M

-13.35%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$25.00 Rp 447.8K

232.00%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$4.27 Rp 76.4K

431.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$22.32 Rp 400.0K

31.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$18.56 Rp 332.6K

174.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$6.13 Rp 109.8K

199.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$2.54 Rp 45.5K

94.09%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

107.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$5,063 Rp 90.7M

4.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$62.6 Rp 1.1M

-41.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$24.48 Rp 438.6K

62.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$92.7 Rp 1.7M

-13.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

20.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$322 Rp 5.8M

197.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$102 Rp 1.8M

368.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$325 Rp 5.8M

406.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$186 Rp 3.3M

559.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,176 Rp 21.1M

233.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$675 Rp 12.1M

856.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$209 Rp 3.7M

219.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.20%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Manado: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $322 in Manado. 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 220% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $9.00 in Manado. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $207 – making Manado 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 Manado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 118%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $873 in Manado. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 166% less in Manado. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $95.2 in Manado. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Manado, where all-in costs run around $582, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Manado it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Manado – 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 Manado. 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.