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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $783 in Negros, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,238 in Negros, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,692 in Negros, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 64% more than Negros, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Negros are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Negros 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.45 ₱213

246.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$13.51 ₱833

216.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.11 ₱192

240.51%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.63 ₱101

122.09%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.31 ₱19.03

374.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.42 ₱25.83

123.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.30 ₱80.5

137.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.09 ₱129

113.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.29 ₱141

-37.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.50 ₱92.6

25.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.16 ₱71.6

40.52%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.29 ₱142

15.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.87 ₱794

-36.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.12 ₱316

61.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.63 ₱471

45.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.62 ₱223

-26.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.51 ₱93.1

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.31 ₱204

-39.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.24 ₱138

-7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.62 ₱162

-31.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.54 ₱157

-14.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.00 ₱61.6

8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.85 ₱52.2

22.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.25 ₱201

22.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.42 ₱396

58.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.19 ₱73.7

45.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.32 ₱143

7.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.28 ₱17.28

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.89 ₱54.9

252.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.25 ₱15.52

860.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.69 ₱166

14.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.10 ₱68.1

15.45%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$30.1K ₱1.9M

2.72%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$27.1K ₱1.7M

-13.93%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$96.2 ₱5,933

-14.74%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$34.57 ₱2,132

-35.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$30.37 ₱1,873

-2.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$33.95 ₱2,094

52.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$4.48 ₱277

316.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.82 ₱359

-14.60%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$233 ₱14.4K

-15.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,910 ₱241.2K

34.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$45.71 ₱2,819

-20.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$23.10 ₱1,425

73.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$75.6 ₱4,663

5.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$55.2 ₱3,405

60.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$266 ₱16.4K

262.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$179 ₱11.0K

159.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$582 ₱35.9K

174.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$394 ₱24.3K

207.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,145 ₱132.3K

83.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$245 ₱15.1K

193.50%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Negros: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 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 194% 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 $14.00 in Negros. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 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 64%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,175 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 $14.00 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 $783, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.