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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $684 in Marikina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,072 in Marikina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,459 in Marikina, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 89% more than Marikina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Marikina are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Marikina 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.47 ₱214

238.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$28.45 ₱1,754

46.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.46 ₱214

207.51%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.69 ₱166

30.86%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.72 ₱44.50

109.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.40 ₱24.94

142.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.08 ₱66.9

173.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.63 ₱162

69.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.05 ₱127

-32.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.45 ₱89.7

30.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.10 ₱68.0

49.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.26 ₱139

11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.94 ₱490

5.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.61 ₱284

80.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.93 ₱489

35.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.72 ₱167

-4.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.92 ₱118

-23.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.71 ₱167

-29.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.16 ₱133

-3.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$3.32 ₱205

-46.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.91 ₱179

-24.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.14 ₱70.0

-8.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.69 ₱42.57

56.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.85 ₱176

43.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.76 ₱540

17.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.24 ₱76.6

37.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.08 ₱128

24.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.46 ₱28.46

10.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.76 ₱47.15

328.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.12 ₱7.64

1975.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$3.61 ₱223

-9.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.10 ₱67.9

19.09%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$34.0K ₱2.1M

-11.05%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$17.4K ₱1.1M

34.48%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$110 ₱6,765

-24.47%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$13.62 ₱840

63.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$26.05 ₱1,606

12.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$41.93 ₱2,585

23.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.38 ₱393

-20.53%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$321 ₱19.8K

-37.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,131 ₱69.8K

360.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$46.42 ₱2,862

-20.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$26.04 ₱1,606

52.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$56.5 ₱3,482

38.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$26.95 ₱1,662

223.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$178 ₱11.0K

447.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$88.2 ₱5,435

430.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$297 ₱18.3K

452.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$168 ₱10.4K

626.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,140 ₱70.3K

246.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$478 ₱29.5K

1260.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$398 ₱24.5K

66.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.25

82.72%

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 Marikina: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $178 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 67% 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 $28.00 in Marikina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $222 – 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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $684 in Marikina – roughly 89% 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 $1,027 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $684 in Marikina. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $321 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 $684, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $684 in Marikina 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 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.