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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $770 in Naga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,117 in Naga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,463 in Naga.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 65% more expensive than Naga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Naga 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.65 ₱222

225.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$17.76 ₱1,078

141.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.40 ₱206

213.24%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.44 ₱148

41.39%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.77 ₱46.49

94.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.40 ₱24.15

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.37 ₱83.0

121.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.15 ₱131

114.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.90 ₱115

-27.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.27 ₱76.9

45.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.85 ₱51.4

89.41%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.70 ₱103

52.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.00 ₱486

3.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.19 ₱255

99.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.87 ₱478

35.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.86 ₱174

-8.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.54 ₱93.7

-3.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.58 ₱157

-25.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.55 ₱93.9

34.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.31 ₱140

-19.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.50 ₱152

-9.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.06 ₱64.3

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.73 ₱44.19

49.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.52 ₱153

64.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$3.80 ₱230

173.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.15 ₱69.8

49.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.04 ₱124

27.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.26 ₱15.58

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.84 ₱51.0

272.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.22 ₱13.27

1040.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.07 ₱126

52.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.15 ₱69.9

10.43%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$27.0K ₱1.6M

12.63%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.2K ₱1.2M

16.76%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$110 ₱6,701

-24.79%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$32.14 ₱1,951

-29.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$26.84 ₱1,630

9.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$33.57 ₱2,038

51.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.92 ₱359

-16.72%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$152 ₱9,242

29.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,349 ₱264.1K

21.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$46.62 ₱2,831

-20.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$26.17 ₱1,589

52.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$74.8 ₱4,544

6.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$53.3 ₱3,236

67.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$262 ₱15.9K

265.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$174 ₱10.6K

173.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$326 ₱19.8K

404.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$268 ₱16.3K

356.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$145 ₱8,823

359.04%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Naga: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $262 in Naga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 359% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $18.00 in Naga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $194 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 65% in total monthly costs ($1,271 vs $770 including rent). Naga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 359% more on average, 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $262 in Naga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $770 in Naga – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $770 in Naga versus $1,271 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 65% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.