Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Subic Bay Freeport Zone Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Subic Bay Freeport Zone

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $747 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,304 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,861 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 72% more than Subic Bay Freeport Zone, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Subic Bay Freeport Zone are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Subic Bay Freeport Zone 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$4.52 ₱279

164.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$15.84 ₱977

169.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$3.65 ₱225

190.14%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.46 ₱152

47.15%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.85 ₱52.6

72.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.46 ₱28.35

104.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.44 ₱88.8

114.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.28 ₱141

95.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.81 ₱111

-20.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.54 ₱94.8

22.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.00 ₱61.4

63.00%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.00 ₱124

32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.03 ₱495

2.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.08 ₱313

63.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.49 ₱832

-17.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.95 ₱182

-10.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.80 ₱111

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.40 ₱86.4

42.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.18 ₱72.9

76.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.72 ₱106

4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.36 ₱83.8

60.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.12 ₱68.9

-3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.84 ₱51.7

23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.42 ₱149

64.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.22 ₱507

24.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.81 ₱50.2

113.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.23 ₱137

12.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.22 ₱13.56

136.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$18.15 ₱1,119

48.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.68 ₱41.77

361.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.27 ₱16.78

788.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.17 ₱134

42.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.11 ₱68.4

14.41%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$28.2K ₱1.7M

9.32%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$17.9K ₱1.1M

30.37%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$131 ₱8,060

-37.24%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$11.04 ₱681

103.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$18.26 ₱1,126

62.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$31.90 ₱1,968

62.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$4.36 ₱269

328.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$7.35 ₱454

-32.38%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$151 ₱9,322

30.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,274 ₱263.6K

23.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$46.37 ₱2,860

-21.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$33.81 ₱2,085

18.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$68.0 ₱4,192

17.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$113 ₱6,968

-21.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$141 ₱8,725

581.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$89.7 ₱5,535

417.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$363 ₱22.4K

339.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$488 ₱30.1K

147.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,511 ₱154.9K

56.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.17

85.09%

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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $141 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $16.00 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $220 – making Subic Bay Freeport Zone 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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 72%, 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 $1,120 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, 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 $747 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% less in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, where all-in costs run around $747, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Subic Bay Freeport Zone it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Subic Bay Freeport Zone – 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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone. 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.