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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $787 in Siargao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,212 in Siargao, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,637 in Siargao, rent included.

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

Both Playa del Carmen and Siargao are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Siargao 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.49 ₱214

235.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$19.60 ₱1,200

113.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.32 ₱203

216.57%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.65 ₱162

35.47%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.82 ₱50.2

84.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.37 ₱22.40

148.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.29 ₱79.3

129.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.15 ₱132

105.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.92 ₱117

-27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.26 ₱77.1

49.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.01 ₱62.0

54.46%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.06 ₱126

26.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.18 ₱501

1.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.13 ₱253

102.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.93 ₱486

36.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.87 ₱176

-5.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.56 ₱95.3

-3.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.58 ₱158

-27.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.55 ₱94.7

41.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.20 ₱134

-15.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.54 ₱156

-12.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.11 ₱68.0

-3.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.77 ₱47.40

41.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.88 ₱176

45.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.82 ₱418

52.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.19 ₱73.0

39.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.96 ₱120

33.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.26 ₱15.76

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.84 ₱51.3

266.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.22 ₱13.45

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.10 ₱129

49.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.10 ₱67.2

19.09%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.5K ₱1.6M

12.52%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.3K ₱1.2M

15.17%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$115 ₱7,010

-29.03%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$33.42 ₱2,046

-32.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$27.94 ₱1,710

7.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$34.02 ₱2,082

55.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.56 ₱279

303.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.04 ₱370

-18.54%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$150 ₱9,167

34.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,291 ₱262.7K

20.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$45.86 ₱2,807

-21.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$26.08 ₱1,597

53.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$74.2 ₱4,542

7.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$52.1 ₱3,190

65.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$262 ₱16.1K

272.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$177 ₱10.8K

166.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$595 ₱36.4K

177.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$390 ₱23.9K

208.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,351 ₱143.9K

68.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$936 ₱57.3K

605.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.67

71.21%

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 Siargao: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $262 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $20.00 in Siargao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $204 – 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 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,181 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $787 in Siargao. 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 $150 in Siargao. 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 Siargao, where all-in costs run around $787, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.