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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $898 in Pasay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,290 in Pasay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,682 in Pasay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 43% more than Pasay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Pasay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Pasay 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$4.71 ₱291

153.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$20.86 ₱1,287

104.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.12 ₱192

239.42%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.22 ₱137

63.06%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.58 ₱35.65

153.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.38 ₱23.16

147.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.08 ₱66.3

186.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.48 ₱91.4

201.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.01 ₱124

-28.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.25 ₱77.0

50.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.92 ₱56.5

77.17%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.02 ₱124

30.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$5.02 ₱310

63.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.28 ₱264

93.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$5.62 ₱347

97.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$4.46 ₱275

-40.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.60 ₱98.4

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.44 ₱151

-18.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.69 ₱104

23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.77 ₱171

-35.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$4.09 ₱252

-46.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.41 ₱86.9

-23.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.92 ₱56.8

13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.11 ₱192

27.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.52 ₱464

35.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.03 ₱63.4

67.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.19 ₱73.4

110.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.22 ₱13.60

136.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.70 ₱43.06

348.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.27 ₱16.78

788.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.17 ₱134

42.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.09 ₱67.2

16.51%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$12.3K ₱761.5K

150.14%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$16.1K ₱992.5K

44.89%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$111 ₱6,831

-25.95%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$32.86 ₱2,027

-31.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$30.37 ₱1,873

-2.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$34.88 ₱2,151

48.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.06 ₱374

-17.99%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$82.4 ₱5,080

140.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,774 ₱171.1K

90.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$32.10 ₱1,980

13.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$17.71 ₱1,092

126.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$84.5 ₱5,212

-5.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$70.0 ₱4,317

26.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$400 ₱24.7K

140.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$311 ₱19.2K

49.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,493 ₱92.1K

6.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$403 ₱24.9K

199.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,976 ₱121.9K

99.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$583 ₱35.9K

1006.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$528 ₱32.6K

36.41%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Pasay: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $400 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 36% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Pasay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $204 – 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $898 in Pasay – roughly 43% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,346 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 $43.00 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 23% 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 $898, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $898 in Pasay to $1,287 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.