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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $777 in Siargao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,219 in Siargao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,662 in Siargao, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 66% more than Siargao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Siargao are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Siargao 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$3.62 ₱220

229.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$743

$19.32 ₱1,174

121.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$3.25 ₱197

225.85%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.50 ₱152

44.80%

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

$1.47 MX$25.51

$0.79 ₱47.88

86.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.39

$0.39 ₱23.87

141.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.24 ₱75.3

149.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.5

$2.15 ₱131

107.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.77

$1.83 ₱111

-21.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.75

$1.25 ₱76.3

50.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.31

$1.03 ₱62.4

58.25%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.94

$2.08 ₱127

26.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$7.94 ₱483

3.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$4.28 ₱260

93.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$7.76 ₱471

43.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.08

$2.85 ₱173

-7.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.08

$1.55 ₱94.3

-3.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.55

$2.61 ₱159

-23.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.09

$1.55 ₱94.4

34.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.08

$2.32 ₱141

-22.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.83

$2.58 ₱157

-15.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.71

$1.07 ₱64.8

0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.75 ₱45.82

38.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.0

$2.90 ₱176

36.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$177

$6.65 ₱404

53.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.01

$1.15 ₱70.0

50.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.41

$2.03 ₱124

23.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.01

$0.28 ₱17.08

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.6

$0.81 ₱49.29

287.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.75

$0.24 ₱14.66

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.6

$2.09 ₱127

47.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.13

$1.11 ₱67.5

14.41%

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

$30.9K MX$536.7K

$26.9K ₱1.6M

14.60%

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

$23.3K MX$405.2K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

12.01%

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

$82.0 MX$1,425

$112 ₱6,832

-27.05%

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

$22.45 MX$390

$32.29 ₱1,962

-30.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$515

$27.94 ₱1,698

6.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$901

$34.37 ₱2,089

50.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$324

$4.36 ₱265

328.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.4

$6.00 ₱365

-17.17%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$154 ₱9,374

28.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.6K

$4,321 ₱262.6K

22.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$46.59 ₱2,831

-22.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$696

$26.07 ₱1,584

53.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,388

$75.4 ₱4,582

5.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,545

$53.7 ₱3,260

65.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$262 ₱15.9K

267.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,077

$176 ₱10.7K

164.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.7K

$577 ₱35.1K

176.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$393 ₱23.9K

207.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.5K

$2,335 ₱141.9K

68.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.1K

$829 ₱50.4K

678.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Siargao: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 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 $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $19 in Siargao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 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 66%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,165 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $777 in Siargao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $154 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 $777, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.