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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $745 in Negros, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,129 in Negros, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,513 in Negros, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 75% 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 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.03 ₱190

294.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$11.79 ₱739

301.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$2.87 ₱180

309.41%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.1

$1.46 ₱91.4

182.19%

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

$1.40 MX$23.78

$0.28 ₱17.53

400.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$0.42 ₱26.29

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$1.18 ₱74.0

172.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.06 ₱129

243.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.49

$1.97 ₱124

-14.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$1.16 ₱72.5

85.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$1.03 ₱64.5

71.84%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.83

$2.02 ₱127

39.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$10.15 ₱636

-9.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.63 ₱290

99.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$7.78 ₱488

62.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.45 ₱216

-14.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.83

$1.41 ₱88.4

12.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$2.43 ₱152

-8.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.15

$1.56 ₱97.8

51.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.86

$2.46 ₱154

-19.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.63

$1.94 ₱121

2.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$1.19 ₱74.5

4.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$0.63 ₱39.55

92.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$3.02 ₱189

52.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$6.14 ₱385

71.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$1.23 ₱77.3

37.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$1.76 ₱110

57.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

$0.25 ₱15.50

140.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

$11.41 ₱716

160.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$0.81 ₱50.5

546.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$0.23 ₱14.42

1486.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

$1.96 ₱123

194.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$1.32 ₱82.7

16.67%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$21.4K ₱1.3M

6.39%

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

$19.6K ₱1.2M

32.02%

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$120 ₱7,521

-24.41%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$15.23 ₱955

65.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$27.87 ₱1,748

13.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

$31.50 ₱1,975

118.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

$4.68 ₱293

527.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

$5.63 ₱353

-13.68%

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

$226 MX$3,834

$131 ₱8,225

72.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

$8,011 ₱502.3K

-47.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$32.67 ₱2,049

45.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$19.51 ₱1,223

122.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$78.0 ₱4,889

2.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

$56.2 ₱3,524

62.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$266 ₱16.7K

308.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

$173 ₱10.8K

136.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$495 ₱31.1K

298.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

$355 ₱22.3K

260.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

$2,619 ₱164.2K

54.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

$1,053 ₱66.0K

536.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$244 ₱15.3K

217.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

63.57%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Negros: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $266 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 217% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $12.00 in Negros. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $209 – 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 75%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,117 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.

Public transport costs about 160% less in Negros. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $131 in Negros. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Negros, where all-in costs run around $745, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.