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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $656 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,080 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,504 in Nueva Ecija, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 92% 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 6% lower, Nueva Ecija 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.32 ₱267

177.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$34.99 ₱2,158

19.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.27 ₱202

228.75%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.39 ₱86.0

151.80%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.75 ₱46.48

93.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.34 ₱20.82

158.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$0.86 ₱52.9

243.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.28 ₱141

97.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.96 ₱182

-51.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.04 ₱64.1

76.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.00 ₱61.5

57.00%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.70 ₱105

47.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$8.13 ₱501

1.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.75 ₱231

124.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$6.22 ₱384

71.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$4.18 ₱258

-37.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.78 ₱47.91

84.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.88 ₱116

4.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.86 ₱115

12.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.65 ₱102

12.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.20 ₱136

-1.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.39 ₱148

-56.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.51 ₱31.47

109.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.44 ₱150

68.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$4.38 ₱270

132.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.38 ₱85.2

21.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.44 ₱150

3.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.30 ₱18.31

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$6.18 ₱381

321.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.84 ₱51.7

284.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.22 ₱13.54

995.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.18 ₱72.7

173.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.95 ₱58.9

38.95%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$18.0K ₱1.1M

65.07%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$23.4K ₱1.4M

1.08%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$87.8 ₱5,415

-6.61%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$32.30 ₱1,992

-28.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$20.32 ₱1,253

48.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$34.02 ₱2,098

52.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$4.44 ₱274

317.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.08 ₱313

-1.97%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$151 ₱9,307

30.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$4,361 ₱269.0K

22.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$46.26 ₱2,853

-23.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$34.16 ₱2,107

18.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$67.7 ₱4,175

16.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$116 ₱7,157

-23.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$126 ₱7,768

651.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$74.5 ₱4,592

536.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$197 ₱12.1K

736.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$141 ₱8,686

759.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,433 ₱150.0K

66.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,072 ₱66.1K

503.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$197 ₱12.2K

231.64%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Nueva Ecija: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $126 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 232% 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 $201 – 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 92% 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $984 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $656 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 $656, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $656 versus $1,256 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.