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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $819 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,172 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,526 in Puerto Princesa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 53% 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 6% lower, Puerto Princesa 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.13 ₱255

190.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$26.50 ₱1,634

57.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.38 ₱270

145.43%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.42 ₱149

44.63%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.63 ₱38.73

130.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.39 ₱23.83

125.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.27 ₱78.2

132.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.75 ₱108

157.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.59 ₱98.0

-10.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.14 ₱70.2

61.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.85 ₱52.6

84.71%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.87 ₱115

34.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.03 ₱557

-8.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.94 ₱305

70.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$6.31 ₱389

69.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.58 ₱221

-27.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.99 ₱61.3

45.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$3.52 ₱217

-44.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.93 ₱57.3

124.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.81 ₱112

2.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.32 ₱81.3

64.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.08 ₱66.8

-4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.78 ₱47.99

37.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.10 ₱191

32.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.11 ₱439

43.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.07 ₱66.2

57.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.79 ₱111

41.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.26 ₱15.83

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.78 ₱110

81.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.22 ₱13.49

995.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.17 ₱134

48.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.17 ₱72.0

12.82%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$14.1K ₱867.0K

111.24%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

14.41%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$121 ₱7,467

-32.27%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$13.75 ₱848

66.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$33.59 ₱2,071

-10.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$26.78 ₱1,651

94.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$4.35 ₱268

325.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.45 ₱336

-8.62%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$63.0 ₱3,884

213.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$4,379 ₱270.0K

21.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$45.36 ₱2,797

-21.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$26.99 ₱1,664

49.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$74.4 ₱4,589

5.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$53.7 ₱3,311

65.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$287 ₱17.7K

230.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$226 ₱13.9K

109.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$449 ₱27.7K

266.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$307 ₱19.0K

293.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,412 ₱148.7K

68.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$965 ₱59.5K

570.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$226 ₱13.9K

189.86%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Puerto Princesa: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $287 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 190% 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 $196 – 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 53%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,228 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $819 in Puerto Princesa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $63.0 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 $819, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.