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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $959 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,506 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,052 in Manila, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 32% more than Manila, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Manila 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$5.43 ₱341

113.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$26.54 ₱1,664

77.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.92 ₱246

203.06%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.51 ₱158

58.57%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.39 ₱87.0

2.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.83 ₱52.3

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.16 ₱73.0

175.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.74 ₱172

147.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.89 ₱118

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.40 ₱87.8

57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.99 ₱62.0

72.73%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.31 ₱145

18.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.81 ₱490

22.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.93 ₱309

82.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.11 ₱446

80.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.23 ₱203

-10.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.89 ₱119

-20.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.01 ₱189

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.82 ₱114

24.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.22 ₱139

-10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.62 ₱165

-24.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.17 ₱136

-43.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.59 ₱37.12

103.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.18 ₱199

43.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$9.52 ₱597

8.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.28 ₱80.5

26.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.02 ₱127

42.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.47 ₱29.25

27.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$12.85 ₱806

124.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.77 ₱48.26

600.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.23 ₱14.44

1521.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$1.96 ₱123

194.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.27 ₱79.5

21.26%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$21.5K ₱1.3M

5.01%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$19.7K ₱1.2M

32.53%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$122 ₱7,639

-24.97%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$15.16 ₱951

66.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$24.00 ₱1,505

30.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$42.61 ₱2,673

57.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$5.69 ₱357

411.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$6.88 ₱432

-29.36%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$618 ₱38.8K

-63.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$8,864 ₱555.9K

-52.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$58.3 ₱3,658

-19.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$27.91 ₱1,751

58.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$77.8 ₱4,881

2.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$58.5 ₱3,667

58.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$545 ₱34.2K

95.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$285 ₱17.9K

36.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,928 ₱120.9K

11.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$673 ₱42.2K

89.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$4,397 ₱275.8K

-8.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,528 ₱158.5K

157.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$477 ₱29.9K

59.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.43

54.10%

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 Manila: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $545 in Manila. 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 59% 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 $27.00 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $221 – making Manila 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 Manila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $959 in Manila – roughly 32% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,439 in Manila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manila, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $959 in Manila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 124% less in Manila. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Manila, where all-in costs run around $959, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Manila it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $959 in Manila to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Manila. 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.