Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Puerto Princesa Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Puerto Princesa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $809 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,180 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,550 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 60% more than Puerto Princesa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Puerto Princesa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Puerto Princesa 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.10 ₱253

186.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$26.71 ₱1,647

55.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.27 ₱263

149.18%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.46 ₱152

43.09%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.68 ₱41.75

122.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.38 ₱23.46

155.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.26 ₱77.5

134.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.72 ₱106

158.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.53 ₱94.5

-9.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.17 ₱72.1

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.84 ₱51.8

95.24%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.88 ₱116

33.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.83 ₱544

-5.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.03 ₱310

65.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.23 ₱384

72.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.51 ₱216

-25.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.93 ₱57.3

56.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.48 ₱214

-45.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.90 ₱55.6

131.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.80 ₱111

-1.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.37 ₱84.4

59.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.05 ₱64.6

-0.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.73 ₱45.28

47.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.95 ₱182

38.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.18 ₱443

43.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.13 ₱69.6

51.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.80 ₱111

43.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.28 ₱17.47

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.81 ₱112

80.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.22 ₱13.50

1031.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.10 ₱129

54.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.21 ₱74.7

8.26%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$14.4K ₱890.6K

109.63%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.4K ₱1.3M

14.72%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$122 ₱7,495

-31.82%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$13.69 ₱844

62.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$34.56 ₱2,131

-15.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$26.23 ₱1,618

96.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.33 ₱267

323.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.30 ₱327

-4.34%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$62.5 ₱3,856

221.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,255 ₱262.4K

22.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$45.30 ₱2,793

-18.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$26.63 ₱1,642

49.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$75.2 ₱4,640

4.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$52.3 ₱3,222

66.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$291 ₱18.0K

233.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$228 ₱14.0K

105.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$439 ₱27.0K

274.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$314 ₱19.4K

288.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,418 ₱149.1K

63.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$970 ₱59.8K

570.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$223 ₱13.7K

198.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.25

38.42%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Puerto Princesa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $291 in Puerto Princesa. 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 198% 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 Puerto Princesa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $195 – making Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 60%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,214 in Puerto Princesa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Princesa, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $809 in Puerto Princesa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $62.5 in Puerto Princesa. 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 Puerto Princesa, where all-in costs run around $809, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Puerto Princesa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Princesa – 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 Puerto Princesa. 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.