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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $746 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,291 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,835 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 69% 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 5% lower, Subic Bay Freeport Zone 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.36 ₱267

168.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$15.63 ₱957

168.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.58 ₱219

193.58%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.43 ₱149

47.74%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.87 ₱53.0

73.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.49 ₱30.13

87.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.49 ₱91.5

98.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.34 ₱143

88.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.81 ₱111

-22.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.53 ₱93.8

22.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.94 ₱57.6

65.96%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.99 ₱122

31.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.94 ₱486

4.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.11 ₱313

63.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$13.42 ₱822

-19.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.96 ₱181

-8.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.80 ₱110

-16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.42 ₱86.9

31.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.20 ₱73.3

82.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.69 ₱103

10.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.35 ₱82.7

65.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.06 ₱64.7

0.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.88 ₱54.1

23.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.52 ₱154

66.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$8.11 ₱497

28.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.81 ₱49.89

104.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.28 ₱139

14.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.22 ₱13.42

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$17.75 ₱1,087

47.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.72 ₱44.22

327.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.25 ₱15.15

860.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.08 ₱127

50.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.16 ₱71.3

12.93%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$28.2K ₱1.7M

5.52%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$17.6K ₱1.1M

32.14%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$130 ₱7,947

-37.40%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$10.78 ₱660

109.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$18.88 ₱1,156

59.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$31.43 ₱1,924

68.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.50 ₱275

308.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$7.60 ₱465

-35.26%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$154 ₱9,404

30.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,331 ₱265.1K

19.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$45.58 ₱2,790

-21.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$33.88 ₱2,074

18.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$67.8 ₱4,150

17.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$117 ₱7,184

-26.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$141 ₱8,624

594.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$88.7 ₱5,431

430.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$365 ₱22.4K

351.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$474 ₱29.0K

154.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,328 ₱142.5K

69.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,096 ₱67.1K

503.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Subic Bay Freeport Zone: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $16.00 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $219 – 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 69%, 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 $1,119 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $746 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 47% 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 $746, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.