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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $786 in Negros, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,216 in Negros, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,646 in Negros, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 62% 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 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.59 ₱218

230.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$13.32 ₱809

222.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.12 ₱190

241.35%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.58 ₱95.9

118.35%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.33 ₱20.16

354.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.46 ₱27.81

106.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.29 ₱78.4

134.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.09 ₱127

120.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.24 ₱136

-38.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.52 ₱92.1

21.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.17 ₱71.0

37.61%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.31 ₱140

12.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$12.73 ₱773

-35.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.34 ₱324

56.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.65 ₱465

39.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.50 ₱212

-24.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.46 ₱88.9

2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.27 ₱198

-41.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.24 ₱136

-6.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.68 ₱163

-30.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.49 ₱151

-9.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.92 ₱55.9

15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.84 ₱51.2

29.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.15 ₱191

31.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.57 ₱399

58.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.21 ₱73.6

42.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.34 ₱142

11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.26 ₱15.65

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.89 ₱53.9

251.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.25 ₱15.25

904.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.59 ₱157

21.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.15 ₱69.5

10.43%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$29.6K ₱1.8M

2.76%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$27.4K ₱1.7M

-13.92%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$97.3 ₱5,909

-14.71%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$34.75 ₱2,110

-34.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$29.67 ₱1,802

-0.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$34.05 ₱2,067

49.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$4.48 ₱272

309.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.07 ₱369

-18.78%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$229 ₱13.9K

-13.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,908 ₱237.3K

35.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$46.54 ₱2,826

-20.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$23.38 ₱1,420

70.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$76.1 ₱4,620

5.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$55.1 ₱3,347

62.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$261 ₱15.8K

266.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$179 ₱10.9K

166.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$582 ₱35.3K

182.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$395 ₱24.0K

209.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,267 ₱137.6K

72.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$971 ₱59.0K

565.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$247 ₱15.0K

169.53%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Negros: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $261 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 170% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Negros. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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 62%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,179 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $13.00 in Negros. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $786, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.