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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $851 in Mandaluyong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,297 in Mandaluyong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,744 in Mandaluyong.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 52% more expensive than Mandaluyong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Mandaluyong 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.25 ₱324

123.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$17.68 ₱1,090

135.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.29 ₱203

223.40%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.35 ₱145

49.79%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.92 ₱57.0

64.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.53 ₱32.92

83.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.55 ₱95.4

90.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.69 ₱166

65.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.83 ₱113

-24.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.35 ₱83.0

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.10 ₱67.9

49.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.17 ₱134

15.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.94 ₱551

-6.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.15 ₱317

61.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.64 ₱533

24.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.39 ₱209

-23.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.85 ₱114

-21.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.51 ₱216

-45.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.38 ₱147

-12.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.70 ₱166

-34.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$3.10 ₱191

-29.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.67 ₱41.55

55.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.64 ₱39.55

68.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.32 ₱205

22.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.75 ₱540

17.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.44 ₱89.0

18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.14 ₱132

20.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.34 ₱20.88

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.85 ₱52.6

283.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.25 ₱15.35

896.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.11 ₱130

54.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.14 ₱70.4

14.91%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$26.9K ₱1.7M

12.41%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.3K ₱1.2M

15.62%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$138 ₱8,497

-39.86%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$34.72 ₱2,141

-36.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$26.60 ₱1,640

10.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$33.81 ₱2,085

52.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.52 ₱279

305.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.83 ₱421

-25.77%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$150 ₱9,277

33.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,814 ₱296.9K

8.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$46.69 ₱2,879

-20.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$35.59 ₱2,194

11.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$76.6 ₱4,724

2.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$47.18 ₱2,909

84.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$534 ₱32.9K

82.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$180 ₱11.1K

160.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$584 ₱36.0K

181.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$392 ₱24.1K

211.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,834 ₱174.7K

39.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$590 ₱36.4K

12.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.5

153.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mandaluyong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $534 in Mandaluyong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 13% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $18.00 in Mandaluyong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $231 per month, with Mandaluyong cheaper across the board.

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 Mandaluyong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Mandaluyong differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $851 including rent). Mandaluyong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 13% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $534 in Mandaluyong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $150 in Mandaluyong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mandaluyong – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $851 in Mandaluyong versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mandaluyong but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mandaluyong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Mandaluyong are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mandaluyong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.