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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $802 in Siargao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,248 in Siargao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,693 in Siargao, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 58% more than Siargao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Siargao are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Siargao 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.65 ₱229

217.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$19.43 ₱1,218

142.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.28 ₱206

262.20%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.64 ₱166

50.76%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.76 ₱47.94

88.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.40 ₱24.90

105.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.29 ₱80.7

147.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.17 ₱136

212.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.82 ₱114

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.27 ₱79.5

73.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.03 ₱64.4

66.02%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.07 ₱130

32.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.04 ₱504

19.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.14 ₱260

117.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.53 ₱472

70.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.85 ₱179

1.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.52 ₱95.0

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.72 ₱171

-20.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.55 ₱97.5

45.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.21 ₱139

-10.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.62 ₱165

-24.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.11 ₱69.8

10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.76 ₱47.90

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.92 ₱183

55.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.00 ₱439

48.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.21 ₱76.0

33.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.03 ₱127

41.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.26 ₱16.18

130.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$11.51 ₱722

150.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.83 ₱52.0

549.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.22 ₱13.73

1595.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$2.15 ₱135

168.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.10 ₱69.2

40.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$26.2K ₱1.6M

-14.01%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

25.41%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$111 ₱6,966

-17.72%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$33.42 ₱2,096

-24.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$27.75 ₱1,741

12.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$33.34 ₱2,091

101.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$4.37 ₱274

566.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.76 ₱362

-15.62%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$154 ₱9,688

44.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$4,282 ₱268.6K

-1.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$46.52 ₱2,918

1.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$26.88 ₱1,686

64.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$74.4 ₱4,664

7.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$52.4 ₱3,286

76.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$263 ₱16.5K

303.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$178 ₱11.2K

119.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$577 ₱36.2K

272.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$393 ₱24.6K

223.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,350 ₱147.4K

70.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,028 ₱64.5K

532.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.67

71.66%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Siargao: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $263 in Siargao. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Siargao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $202 – making Siargao 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 Siargao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 58%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,204 in Siargao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Siargao, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $802 in Siargao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 150% less in Siargao. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Siargao, where all-in costs run around $802, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Siargao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Siargao. 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.