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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $717 in Marikina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,122 in Marikina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,527 in Marikina, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 77% more than Marikina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Marikina are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Marikina 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.93 ₱246

195.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$31.72 ₱1,989

48.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.14 ₱197

278.34%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.19 ₱137

81.74%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.60 ₱37.77

138.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.33 ₱20.84

148.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$0.94 ₱59.0

239.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.43 ₱153

179.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.90 ₱119

-11.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.29 ₱81.1

70.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.05 ₱65.9

62.86%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.09 ₱131

31.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.15 ₱448

33.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.34 ₱272

107.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.49 ₱470

71.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.35 ₱148

22.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.99 ₱125

-24.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.32 ₱146

-7.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.19 ₱138

3.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$3.19 ₱200

-37.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$3.43 ₱215

-41.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.10 ₱69.1

11.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.71 ₱44.60

69.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.96 ₱185

53.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.92 ₱560

16.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$0.96 ₱60.5

68.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.04 ₱128

41.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.50 ₱31.09

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.71 ₱44.29

659.15%

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

$1.95 ₱122

195.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.19 ₱74.7

29.41%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$21.0K ₱1.3M

7.38%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$19.5K ₱1.2M

33.82%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$139 ₱8,706

-34.17%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$16.12 ₱1,011

56.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$27.23 ₱1,708

14.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$37.73 ₱2,366

78.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.11 ₱446

-31.65%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$130 ₱8,151

72.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$7,413 ₱464.9K

-42.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$60.2 ₱3,777

-21.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$27.54 ₱1,727

60.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$75.6 ₱4,739

6.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$55.8 ₱3,500

66.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$181 ₱11.4K

486.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$80.5 ₱5,048

384.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$314 ₱19.7K

583.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$169 ₱10.6K

650.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,117 ₱70.1K

258.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$485 ₱30.4K

1240.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$394 ₱24.7K

92.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.75

69.63%

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 Marikina: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $181 in Marikina. 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 92% 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 $32.00 in Marikina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $210 – making Marikina 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 Marikina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $717 in Marikina – roughly 77% 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 $1,075 in Marikina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marikina, 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 $717 in Marikina. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $130 in Marikina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Marikina, where all-in costs run around $717, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Marikina 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 $717 in Marikina 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 Marikina. 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.