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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $959 in Manila, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,528 in Manila, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,097 in Manila, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 35% more than Manila, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Manila are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Manila 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.38 ₱332

118.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$26.83 ₱1,656

55.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.34 ₱268

145.16%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.75 ₱169

28.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.96 ₱59.0

57.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.50 ₱30.58

94.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.49 ₱92.1

97.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.61 ₱161

70.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.89 ₱117

-26.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.38 ₱85.4

36.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.05 ₱64.7

56.19%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.18 ₱135

15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.61 ₱593

-13.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.19 ₱320

60.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.32 ₱513

28.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.50 ₱216

-25.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.80 ₱111

-18.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$3.58 ₱221

-46.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.49 ₱154

-16.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.76 ₱170

-35.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$3.03 ₱187

-27.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.01 ₱124

-48.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.64 ₱39.60

68.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.32 ₱205

22.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$9.74 ₱601

5.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.49 ₱92.1

14.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.15 ₱133

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.52 ₱31.93

-1.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$12.00 ₱741

120.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.86 ₱53.2

279.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.25 ₱15.38

896.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$2.16 ₱133

50.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.16 ₱71.9

12.93%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$26.2K ₱1.6M

15.57%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$22.7K ₱1.4M

3.12%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$138 ₱8,535

-40.09%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$22.24 ₱1,372

-0.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$27.71 ₱1,710

5.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$41.41 ₱2,555

24.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$6.89 ₱425

165.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$6.58 ₱406

-22.95%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$357 ₱22.0K

-43.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$11.5K ₱707.8K

-54.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$46.42 ₱2,864

-20.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$35.12 ₱2,167

13.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$82.4 ₱5,084

-4.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$45.78 ₱2,825

90.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$500 ₱30.8K

94.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$265 ₱16.3K

76.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,684 ₱103.9K

-2.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$636 ₱39.2K

92.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$4,370 ₱269.6K

-9.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,544 ₱157.0K

155.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$481 ₱29.7K

38.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.52

51.86%

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 Manila: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $500 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 38% 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 $27.00 in Manila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $242 – 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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $959 in Manila – roughly 35% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,438 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 $1,297 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 121% 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 $1,297. 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 $1,297 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.