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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $580 in Manado, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $887 in Manado, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,194 in Manado, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 117% 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 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

884.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$9.03 Rp 163.3K

363.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$3.08 Rp 55.8K

241.23%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.68 Rp 30.4K

113.69%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.32 Rp 5,829

371.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.26 Rp 4,707

253.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$3.59 Rp 64.9K

-17.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$6.00 Rp 108.4K

-26.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.18 Rp 21.3K

18.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.89 Rp 16.2K

111.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$0.78 Rp 14.2K

100.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.79 Rp 32.4K

45.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$8.16 Rp 147.5K

1.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$3.15 Rp 56.9K

165.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$7.90 Rp 142.8K

37.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.74 Rp 49.6K

-1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

3.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

-1.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

63.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.39 Rp 25.1K

33.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

17.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.97 Rp 17.5K

10.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.44 Rp 8,000

147.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.38 Rp 43.0K

76.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$20.43 Rp 369.3K

-48.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.77 Rp 32.0K

-6.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$3.18 Rp 57.5K

-17.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.35 Rp 6,412

54.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$9.73 Rp 175.9K

168.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.53 Rp 9,514

481.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.37 Rp 6,717

548.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$2.90 Rp 52.5K

7.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

57.83%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$24.5K Rp 443.1M

21.65%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$28.0K Rp 506.1M

-16.68%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$24.74 Rp 447.4K

228.54%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$4.38 Rp 79.1K

415.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$22.31 Rp 403.4K

34.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$18.33 Rp 331.5K

188.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$6.11 Rp 110.4K

200.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$2.62 Rp 47.4K

87.79%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$94.9 Rp 1.7M

111.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$5,231 Rp 94.6M

-1.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$61.2 Rp 1.1M

-41.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$24.26 Rp 438.7K

65.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

-16.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$73.3 Rp 1.3M

17.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$324 Rp 5.9M

201.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$99.8 Rp 1.8M

371.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$333 Rp 6.0M

396.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$191 Rp 3.4M

530.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,132 Rp 20.5M

249.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$698 Rp 12.6M

847.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$210 Rp 3.8M

222.36%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Manado: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $324 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 222% 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 $9.00 in Manado. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $205 – 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 117%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $871 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 169% less in Manado. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $94.9 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 $580, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.