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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $821 in Panglao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,231 in Panglao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,641 in Panglao, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 58% more than Panglao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Panglao are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Panglao 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.49 ₱277

161.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$12.16 ₱750

242.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.32 ₱266

146.30%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.59 ₱160

35.91%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.83 ₱51.1

81.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.28 ₱17.39

246.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.47 ₱90.7

100.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.86 ₱115

139.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.75 ₱108

-21.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.09 ₱67.3

73.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.09 ₱67.3

50.46%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.01 ₱124

24.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.48 ₱585

-12.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.35 ₱330

55.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.68 ₱473

39.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.08 ₱128

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.51 ₱92.9

-3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.07 ₱128

-8.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.89 ₱117

10.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.67 ₱165

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.57 ₱158

-14.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.00 ₱61.8

4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.47 ₱29.01

129.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.59 ₱160

57.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$5.34 ₱329

93.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.88 ₱54.4

94.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.73 ₱106

49.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.26 ₱15.99

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.89 ₱54.7

266.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.23 ₱14.16

982.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.60 ₱161

25.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.08 ₱66.4

21.30%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$29.9K ₱1.8M

1.42%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$27.0K ₱1.7M

-13.34%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$98.5 ₱6,073

-15.86%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$8.94 ₱552

148.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$27.02 ₱1,666

8.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$14.78 ₱912

249.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.31 ₱266

325.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.49 ₱277

12.92%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$230 ₱14.2K

-12.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,876 ₱239.0K

34.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$46.05 ₱2,840

-19.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$22.63 ₱1,395

75.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$75.6 ₱4,663

3.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$54.0 ₱3,327

61.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$327 ₱20.1K

197.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$280 ₱17.3K

66.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$704 ₱43.4K

133.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$500 ₱30.8K

144.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$960 ₱59.2K

310.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$873 ₱53.8K

644.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$131 ₱8,088

406.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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 Panglao: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $327 in Panglao. 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 406% 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 $12.00 in Panglao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $198 – making Panglao 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 Panglao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 58% more than Panglao, 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 $1,232 in Panglao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $821 in Panglao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $230 in Panglao. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Panglao, where all-in costs run around $821, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Panglao 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. Panglao costs $821 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Panglao. 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.