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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $932 in Pasay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,316 in Pasay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,700 in Pasay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 39% more than Pasay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Pasay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Pasay 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$4.77 ₱287

145.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$21.29 ₱1,282

96.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$3.13 ₱189

232.59%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.13 ₱128

69.48%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.60 ₱36.38

143.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.34 ₱20.68

185.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.04 ₱62.5

180.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$1.54 ₱92.9

200.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.92 ₱116

-25.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.22 ₱73.3

55.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$0.93 ₱56.0

68.82%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.00 ₱121

32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$5.09 ₱307

65.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$4.23 ₱255

102.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$5.56 ₱335

97.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$4.41 ₱265

-38.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.54 ₱92.7

-1.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.52 ₱152

-24.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.63 ₱98.3

33.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.75 ₱165

-32.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$4.07 ₱245

-45.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.44 ₱86.9

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.94 ₱56.9

13.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$3.16 ₱190

31.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$7.51 ₱452

37.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.02 ₱61.6

64.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.14 ₱68.4

121.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.22 ₱13.26

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.68 ₱41.06

370.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.27 ₱16.42

811.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$2.08 ₱125

53.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.09 ₱65.6

21.10%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$12.6K ₱757.1K

139.86%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$15.9K ₱955.2K

47.50%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$114 ₱6,880

-28.79%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$32.42 ₱1,953

-30.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$29.55 ₱1,780

1.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$36.15 ₱2,177

42.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$6.19 ₱373

-16.64%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$81.6 ₱4,912

147.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$2,753 ₱165.8K

92.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$31.47 ₱1,895

13.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$17.55 ₱1,057

130.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$84.0 ₱5,059

-6.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$69.7 ₱4,195

24.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$398 ₱23.9K

138.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$309 ₱18.6K

54.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,462 ₱88.0K

10.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$400 ₱24.1K

205.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$1,919 ₱115.6K

108.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$603 ₱36.3K

974.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$532 ₱32.1K

26.43%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Pasay: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $398 in Pasay. 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 26% 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 $21.00 in Pasay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $202 – making Pasay 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 Pasay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, $932 in Pasay – roughly 39% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,398 in Pasay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pasay, 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 $21.00 in Pasay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pasay, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Pasay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $932 in Pasay to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Pasay. 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.