Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ormoc Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ormoc

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $682 in Ormoc, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,031 in Ormoc, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,381 in Ormoc, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 86% more than Ormoc, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ormoc are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Ormoc 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.71 ₱295

146.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$11.69 ₱733

302.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.80 ₱301

147.50%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.13 ₱134

86.85%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.47 ₱29.19

204.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.31 ₱19.37

164.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.08 ₱67.6

195.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.91 ₱120

255.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.60 ₱100

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.02 ₱63.7

115.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.96 ₱59.9

78.13%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.76 ₱110

55.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.45 ₱342

75.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.31 ₱208

172.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.23 ₱453

77.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.25 ₱141

28.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.56 ₱97.6

-3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.39 ₱150

-10.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.20 ₱75.1

88.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.90 ₱119

4.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.12 ₱133

-6.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.77 ₱48.22

59.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.55 ₱34.80

118.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.52 ₱158

80.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.57 ₱538

21.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$0.96 ₱60.4

68.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.74 ₱109

65.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.28 ₱17.60

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$9.94 ₱623

189.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.78 ₱48.82

591.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.27 ₱16.91

1281.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$1.67 ₱105

245.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.10 ₱68.8

40.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$18.8K ₱1.2M

19.79%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$16.4K ₱1.0M

59.08%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$66.2 ₱4,151

38.08%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$15.32 ₱961

64.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$23.77 ₱1,491

31.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$35.10 ₱2,201

91.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$4.91 ₱308

492.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.85 ₱367

-16.92%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$130 ₱8,155

71.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$6,796 ₱426.2K

-37.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$32.14 ₱2,016

46.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$19.31 ₱1,211

129.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$66.2 ₱4,151

21.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$54.7 ₱3,433

69.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$268 ₱16.8K

295.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$167 ₱10.4K

134.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$201 ₱12.6K

969.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$359 ₱22.5K

254.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,716 ₱170.3K

47.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,173 ₱73.6K

454.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.75

69.63%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Ormoc: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $268 in Ormoc. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $12.00 in Ormoc. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $173 – making Ormoc 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 Ormoc: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 86%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,023 in Ormoc. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ormoc, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $130 in Ormoc. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% 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 Ormoc, where all-in costs run around $682, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Ormoc it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ormoc – 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 Ormoc. 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.