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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $779 in Naga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,145 in Naga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,510 in Naga.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 62% more expensive than in Naga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Naga 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$3.45 ₱212

239.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$18.03 ₱1,107

132.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$3.29 ₱202

219.45%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.46 ₱151

45.93%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.83 ₱50.9

81.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.37 ₱22.43

148.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.36 ₱83.6

117.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.17 ₱133

103.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.90 ₱117

-26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.27 ₱77.9

48.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$0.86 ₱52.9

81.40%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.72 ₱105

51.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$8.23 ₱506

1.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$4.20 ₱258

98.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$7.50 ₱460

44.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.90 ₱178

-6.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.57 ₱96.6

-3.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$2.70 ₱166

-30.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.55 ₱95.4

41.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$2.32 ₱142

-19.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$2.54 ₱156

-12.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.06 ₱65.1

0.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.76 ₱46.86

43.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.60 ₱159

61.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$3.85 ₱237

170.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.21 ₱74.2

37.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$1.97 ₱121

32.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.28 ₱17.38

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.81 ₱49.87

280.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.22 ₱13.47

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$2.08 ₱128

50.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.11 ₱67.9

18.02%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$26.9K ₱1.7M

10.90%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$20.2K ₱1.2M

15.59%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$113 ₱6,937

-28.06%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$32.32 ₱1,985

-30.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$26.39 ₱1,620

13.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$34.42 ₱2,114

53.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$5.76 ₱354

-14.58%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$153 ₱9,418

30.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$4,369 ₱268.2K

18.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$45.11 ₱2,770

-20.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$27.01 ₱1,659

48.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$75.4 ₱4,630

5.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$53.7 ₱3,299

60.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$267 ₱16.4K

266.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$173 ₱10.6K

171.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$323 ₱19.8K

410.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$266 ₱16.3K

352.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$147 ₱9,033

359.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.67

71.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Naga: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $267 in Naga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 360% 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 Naga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $196 per month, with Naga 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 Naga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Naga differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $779 including rent). Naga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 360% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $267 in Naga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $779 in Naga – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $779 in Naga versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Naga but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Naga 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 Naga 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 Naga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.