Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sorsogon City

For one person, living is cheaper in Sorsogon City: $835 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Sorsogon City, Philippines
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Sorsogon City
🇵🇭 Philippines
$835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Sorsogon City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Sorsogon City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $835 in Sorsogon City, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Sorsogon City $835

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,257 in Sorsogon City, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Sorsogon City $1,257

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,678 in Sorsogon City, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Sorsogon City $1,678

Playa del Carmen costs about 44% more than Sorsogon City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sorsogon City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Sorsogon City 38% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Sorsogon City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$201
$4.08 ₱259
161.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$824
$17.22 ₱1,093
154.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$222
$2.89 ₱183
307.96%
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$71.2
$2.41 ₱153
57.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.41
$0.72 ₱45.42
80.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.69
$0.34 ₱21.50
144.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$59.2
$1.10 ₱70.0
186.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.9
$2.39 ₱152
106.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Sorsogon City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.51
$1.69 ₱108
-16.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$41.32
$1.03 ₱65.2
113.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.71
$0.95 ₱60.5
54.74%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.99
$1.94 ₱123
28.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$137
$4.23 ₱268
72.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$150
$4.02 ₱255
97.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$242
$7.13 ₱453
80.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$54.5
$2.71 ₱172
7.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$26.03
$1.87 ₱119
-26.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.88
$2.51 ₱160
-0.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.20
$1.02 ₱64.5
99.02%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$38.11
$1.69 ₱107
19.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.82
$1.36 ₱86.5
39.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.54
$0.87 ₱55.3
31.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.32
$0.51 ₱32.13
143.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$80.4
$2.40 ₱153
77.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$185
$6.71 ₱426
46.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.85
$1.08 ₱68.4
47.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.7
$1.90 ₱120
44.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Sorsogon City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.69
$0.25 ₱15.87
104.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$515
$13.73 ₱871
99.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$89.6
$0.88 ₱56.1
440.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$61.1
$0.22 ₱13.80
1377.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$101
$2.07 ₱131
160.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.76
$1.23 ₱78.0
24.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$399.2K
$20.7K ₱1.3M
2.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$437.8K
$21.3K ₱1.4M
9.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Sorsogon City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,571
$126 ₱7,996
-33.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$436
$15.79 ₱1,003
46.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$520
$26.62 ₱1,690
3.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Sorsogon City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,062
$30.42 ₱1,931
85.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$531
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$94.1
$4.39 ₱278
13.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Sorsogon City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,897
$244 ₱15.5K
-15.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$98.4K
$9,086 ₱576.8K
-42.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Sorsogon City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$818
$47.80 ₱3,035
-9.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$801
$23.93 ₱1,520
77.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,369
$76.0 ₱4,823
-4.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,663
$51.2 ₱3,247
72.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Sorsogon City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.7K
$375 ₱23.8K
165.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,197
$264 ₱16.8K
44.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.5K
$885 ₱56.2K
89.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.3K
$521 ₱33.1K
107.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$73.6K
$3,757 ₱238.5K
4.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$115.5K
$2,142 ₱136.0K
186.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Sorsogon City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
7
63.57%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Sorsogon City: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Sorsogon City
$264 31% $118
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Sorsogon City
$173 32.9% $85
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Sorsogon City
$85 57.7% $116
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Sorsogon City
$168 25.4% $34
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Sorsogon City
$89 19.5% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Sorsogon City
$39 41% $27
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Sorsogon City
$17 66.9% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $375 in Sorsogon City. 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 $44 in Playa del Carmen versus $17 in Sorsogon City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $173 – making Sorsogon City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇵🇭 Sorsogon City
🕒 Local time
21:24 9:24 PM
10:24 10:24 AM
13 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
168,110
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.82 MXN (100 MXN = 5.31 USD). 1 EUR = 21.05 MXN (100 MXN = 4.75 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 63.49 PHP (100 PHP = 1.58 USD). 1 EUR = 71 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Sorsogon City 14,970 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Sorsogon City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sorsogon City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sorsogon City cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 44%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,253 in Sorsogon City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sorsogon City, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $375 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Sorsogon City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $835 in Sorsogon City. That makes Sorsogon City about 31% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 50% less in Sorsogon City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $800 enough to cover costs in Playa del Carmen or in Sorsogon City?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $835 in Sorsogon City. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Sorsogon City?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $835 in Sorsogon City to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Sorsogon City is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 31% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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