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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $788 in Negros, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,231 in Negros, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,674 in Negros, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 60% more than Negros, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Negros are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Negros 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$3.54 ₱217

231.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$13.56 ₱832

208.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$3.05 ₱187

244.59%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.56 ₱95.9

130.13%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.33 ₱20.49

357.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.43 ₱26.24

113.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.36 ₱83.4

117.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.18 ₱134

102.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$2.20 ₱135

-36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.57 ₱96.3

19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.11 ₱68.2

40.54%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.34 ₱144

11.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$13.07 ₱802

-36.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$5.39 ₱331

54.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$7.49 ₱460

44.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$3.49 ₱214

-22.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.50 ₱92.1

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$3.33 ₱204

-43.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$2.27 ₱139

-3.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$2.58 ₱159

-27.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$2.53 ₱155

-11.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.93 ₱56.9

15.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.79 ₱48.63

37.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$3.24 ₱199

29.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$6.43 ₱395

62.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.16 ₱71.5

43.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.34 ₱143

11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.26 ₱15.77

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.86 ₱52.8

258.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.25 ₱15.47

860.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$2.60 ₱160

20.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.13 ₱69.6

15.93%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$30.7K ₱1.9M

-3.00%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$27.5K ₱1.7M

-15.25%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$98.3 ₱6,036

-17.32%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$33.77 ₱2,074

-33.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$29.29 ₱1,798

2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$34.11 ₱2,094

55.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$4.36 ₱267

321.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$5.88 ₱361

-16.33%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$235 ₱14.4K

-14.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$3,884 ₱238.5K

33.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$46.07 ₱2,828

-22.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$23.31 ₱1,431

72.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$75.1 ₱4,610

6.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$56.4 ₱3,464

53.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$265 ₱16.3K

268.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$176 ₱10.8K

167.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$587 ₱36.0K

181.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$397 ₱24.4K

203.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$2,112 ₱129.7K

87.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$921 ₱56.6K

617.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$240 ₱14.7K

182.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

63.14%

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 Negros: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $265 in Negros. 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 182% 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 $14.00 in Negros. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $241 – making Negros 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 Negros: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 60%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,183 in Negros. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Negros, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $14.00 in Negros. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Negros, where all-in costs run around $788, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Negros it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Negros – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Negros. 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.