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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $718 in Pasig, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,200 in Pasig, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,682 in Pasig, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 82% 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 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.97 ₱249

201.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$25.72 ₱1,613

84.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$2.74 ₱172

328.83%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.31 ₱145

78.35%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.66 ₱41.67

112.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.31 ₱19.68

193.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.14 ₱71.4

181.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.69 ₱169

162.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.67 ₱104

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.16 ₱73.0

85.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.03 ₱64.4

71.84%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.07 ₱130

36.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$5.70 ₱357

61.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.37 ₱211

173.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.68 ₱481

64.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.20 ₱201

-7.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.56 ₱97.7

1.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.96 ₱186

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.70 ₱107

38.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.35 ₱147

-15.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.60 ₱163

-23.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.17 ₱136

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.55 ₱34.55

120.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.89 ₱181

59.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$9.55 ₱599

10.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.35 ₱84.4

25.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.01 ₱126

37.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.50 ₱31.12

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.77 ₱48.31

580.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.21 ₱13.11

1638.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$1.92 ₱121

201.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.14 ₱71.4

35.09%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$21.1K ₱1.3M

8.19%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$19.1K ₱1.2M

35.32%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$123 ₱7,733

-26.49%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$17.58 ₱1,102

43.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$23.97 ₱1,503

32.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$30.49 ₱1,911

125.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$6.40 ₱401

-24.06%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$133 ₱8,318

70.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$9,084 ₱569.4K

-53.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$34.53 ₱2,165

37.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$27.89 ₱1,749

55.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$72.8 ₱4,563

10.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$54.8 ₱3,437

66.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$277 ₱17.4K

291.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$129 ₱8,061

217.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$520 ₱32.6K

279.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$477 ₱29.9K

168.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$3,260 ₱204.3K

24.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$2,540 ₱159.3K

163.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$440 ₱27.6K

75.77%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Pasig: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $277 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 76% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Pasig. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $201 – 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 82%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,077 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $718 in Pasig. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $133 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 $718, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.