Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nueva Ecija Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nueva Ecija

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $663 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,064 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,465 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 96% more than Nueva Ecija, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Nueva Ecija are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Nueva Ecija 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.40 ₱271

166.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$35.35 ₱2,180

17.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.41 ₱210

212.02%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.33 ₱82.1

164.66%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.76 ₱46.99

98.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.34 ₱20.68

185.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$0.85 ₱52.3

247.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.32 ₱143

91.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.98 ₱184

-53.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.05 ₱64.7

80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.92 ₱56.9

78.26%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.72 ₱106

45.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.83 ₱483

6.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.82 ₱236

118.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.37 ₱393

68.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$4.16 ₱256

-37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.83 ₱51.0

75.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.92 ₱119

-1.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.77 ₱109

17.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.67 ₱103

6.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.18 ₱135

0.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.37 ₱146

-56.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.51 ₱31.71

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.53 ₱156

61.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$4.38 ₱270

135.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.34 ₱82.4

27.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.44 ₱150

5.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.32 ₱19.87

59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$6.10 ₱376

333.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.77 ₱47.32

323.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.22 ₱13.47

1031.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$1.12 ₱69.1

190.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.95 ₱58.7

37.89%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$17.5K ₱1.1M

72.99%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$23.5K ₱1.4M

-0.28%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$88.9 ₱5,480

-6.75%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$32.35 ₱1,995

-31.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$20.29 ₱1,251

44.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$33.41 ₱2,060

54.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.31 ₱266

325.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.10 ₱314

-0.59%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$153 ₱9,451

31.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,346 ₱268.0K

19.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$45.11 ₱2,781

-18.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$33.85 ₱2,088

17.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$67.5 ₱4,163

16.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$114 ₱7,053

-23.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$128 ₱7,890

660.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$76.1 ₱4,692

514.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$195 ₱12.0K

742.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$140 ₱8,637

771.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,421 ₱149.3K

62.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$962 ₱59.3K

575.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$195 ₱12.0K

240.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.17

85.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Nueva Ecija: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $128 in Nueva Ecija. 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 240% 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 $35.00 in Nueva Ecija. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $200 – making Nueva Ecija 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 Nueva Ecija: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 96% more than Nueva Ecija, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $994 in Nueva Ecija. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nueva Ecija, 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 $35.00 in Nueva Ecija. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $663 in Nueva Ecija. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nueva Ecija, where all-in costs run around $663, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Nueva Ecija it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nueva Ecija costs $663 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Nueva Ecija. 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.