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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $860 in Pasig, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,403 in Pasig, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,947 in Pasig, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 47% 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

$11.72 MX$204

$4.52 ₱277

159.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$26.63 ₱1,635

57.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$3.30 ₱203

218.48%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.75 ₱169

30.55%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.69 ₱42.67

118.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.38 ₱23.19

142.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.47 ₱90.1

101.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.70 ₱166

63.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.91 ₱117

-26.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.34 ₱82.3

40.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.09 ₱67.0

43.12%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.21 ₱136

18.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$9.09 ₱558

-8.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$4.37 ₱268

91.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$8.62 ₱529

25.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$3.43 ₱211

-20.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.83 ₱112

-17.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$3.55 ₱218

-47.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.72 ₱106

27.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$2.76 ₱170

-32.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$3.08 ₱189

-27.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$2.06 ₱126

-48.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.71 ₱43.58

53.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$3.22 ₱197

30.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$9.52 ₱584

9.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.45 ₱89.1

14.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.11 ₱130

23.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.28 ₱17.37

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$6.23 ₱383

319.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.90 ₱55.4

242.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.24 ₱14.74

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$2.09 ₱128

49.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.16 ₱71.0

12.93%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$26.1K ₱1.6M

14.04%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

13.96%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$134 ₱8,225

-39.32%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$34.45 ₱2,115

-34.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$27.33 ₱1,678

9.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$33.58 ₱2,062

57.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$4.34 ₱266

323.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$6.49 ₱398

-24.19%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$151 ₱9,301

32.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$4,815 ₱295.6K

7.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$48.78 ₱2,995

-26.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$35.44 ₱2,176

13.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$75.4 ₱4,628

5.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$47.09 ₱2,892

83.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$349 ₱21.4K

180.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$201 ₱12.3K

134.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$579 ₱35.5K

185.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$503 ₱30.9K

139.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$3,307 ₱203.1K

19.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$2,594 ₱159.3K

154.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$446 ₱27.4K

51.73%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Pasig: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $349 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 52% 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 $27.00 in Pasig. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $233 – 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 47%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,290 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 320% less in Pasig. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $151 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 $860, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.