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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $876 in Pasig, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,408 in Pasig, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,939 in Pasig, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 45% more than Pasig, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Pasig are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Pasig 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.47 ₱271

165.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$26.77 ₱1,625

60.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.28 ₱199

224.70%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.62 ₱159

31.68%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.66 ₱39.90

127.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.40 ₱24.42

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.49 ₱90.4

103.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.60 ₱158

77.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.91 ₱116

-27.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.39 ₱84.5

33.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.07 ₱65.2

50.47%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.19 ₱133

18.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$9.10 ₱553

-9.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.13 ₱251

102.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.29 ₱504

28.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.49 ₱212

-24.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.84 ₱112

-19.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.60 ₱219

-46.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.75 ₱106

19.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.74 ₱166

-32.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$3.06 ₱186

-26.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.02 ₱122

-47.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.71 ₱43.31

53.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.27 ₱198

26.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$9.70 ₱589

7.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.44 ₱87.3

19.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.22 ₱135

17.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.28 ₱17.02

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$6.04 ₱367

346.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.87 ₱52.6

259.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.22 ₱13.34

1040.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.18 ₱132

44.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.16 ₱70.3

9.48%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$26.7K ₱1.6M

13.74%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

13.50%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$134 ₱8,150

-38.17%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$35.30 ₱2,143

-35.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$27.34 ₱1,660

7.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$33.96 ₱2,062

50.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$4.47 ₱271

310.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.56 ₱398

-24.85%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$152 ₱9,223

29.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,799 ₱291.4K

10.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$48.37 ₱2,937

-23.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$35.10 ₱2,131

13.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$76.5 ₱4,647

4.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$46.02 ₱2,794

94.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$350 ₱21.2K

173.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$199 ₱12.1K

140.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$580 ₱35.2K

183.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$502 ₱30.5K

144.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$3,353 ₱203.6K

16.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$2,527 ₱153.4K

155.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$442 ₱26.9K

50.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.5

153.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Pasig: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $350 in Pasig. 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 51% 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 $27.00 in Pasig. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $232 – making Pasig 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 Pasig: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 45%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,314 in Pasig. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 346% less in Pasig. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $152 in Pasig. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pasig, where all-in costs run around $876, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Pasig it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pasig – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Pasig. 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.