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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $559 in Manado, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $891 in Manado, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,222 in Manado, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 126% more than Manado, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Manado are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Manado 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

740.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$808

$17.27 Rp 305.4K

172.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$2.75 Rp 48.7K

332.00%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$1.84 Rp 32.6K

116.30%

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

$1.43 MX$24.46

$0.58 Rp 10.2K

146.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.14

$0.24 Rp 4,208

241.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$3.48 Rp 61.5K

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$116

$2.75 Rp 48.6K

146.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.72

$1.42 Rp 25.1K

18.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.67

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

96.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.29

$0.74 Rp 13.1K

131.08%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$46.99

$1.97 Rp 34.8K

39.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$17.35 Rp 306.7K

-44.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$154

$2.88 Rp 50.9K

212.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$6.35 Rp 112.3K

101.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.52

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

25.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.67

$1.54 Rp 27.2K

-2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.83

$1.35 Rp 23.9K

59.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.74

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

132.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.96

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

147.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.11

$2.82 Rp 49.9K

-29.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.16

$0.75 Rp 13.2K

64.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.52

$0.44 Rp 7,706

172.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.0

$2.40 Rp 42.4K

89.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$20.77 Rp 367.3K

-50.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.76

$1.83 Rp 32.4K

-11.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.39

$2.95 Rp 52.2K

-2.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.29

$0.30 Rp 5,242

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.4

$0.53 Rp 9,348

916.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.9

$0.33 Rp 5,762

1030.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$98.9

$2.91 Rp 51.5K

98.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.34

$0.61 Rp 10.8K

152.46%

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

$22.5K MX$386.6K

$24.2K Rp 428.7M

-6.99%

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

$26.1K MX$446.7K

$31.3K Rp 553.4M

-16.75%

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

$91.4 MX$1,567

$54.2 Rp 958.4K

68.60%

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

$25.20 MX$432

$4.37 Rp 77.3K

476.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$13.92 Rp 246.1K

124.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,152

$13.01 Rp 230.1K

416.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$499

$8.34 Rp 147.4K

249.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.51 Rp 44.4K

93.63%

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

$224 MX$3,834

$127 Rp 2.3M

75.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.5K

$4,723 Rp 83.5M

-10.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$56.8 Rp 1.0M

-17.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$759

$20.47 Rp 362.0K

116.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,373

$71.3 Rp 1.3M

12.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,589

$64.8 Rp 1.1M

43.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$255 Rp 4.5M

317.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,690

$83.5 Rp 1.5M

367.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.8K

$308 Rp 5.5M

596.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$176 Rp 3.1M

622.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.6K

$1,197 Rp 21.2M

234.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.5K

$665 Rp 11.8M

877.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$213 Rp 3.8M

256.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.50%

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 Manado: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $255 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 256% 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 $17.00 in Manado. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $226 – 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 126%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $839 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $17.00 in Manado. 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Manado, where all-in costs run around $559, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.