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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $658 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,006 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,353 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 92% 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 7% lower, Subic Bay Freeport Zone 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.75 ₱298

144.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$14.45 ₱906

226.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.25 ₱329

126.29%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.20 ₱138

80.91%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.60 ₱37.36

138.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.31 ₱19.45

164.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.47 ₱92.1

117.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.02 ₱127

236.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.60 ₱101

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.18 ₱74.0

86.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.06 ₱66.6

61.32%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.94 ₱122

41.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$4.57 ₱287

109.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.71 ₱233

142.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.39 ₱401

100.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.22 ₱139

30.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.56 ₱98.1

-3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.65 ₱166

-18.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.18 ₱74.2

91.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.05 ₱128

-3.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.16 ₱136

-7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.75 ₱47.27

64.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.60 ₱37.78

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.92 ₱183

55.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.02 ₱503

29.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$0.97 ₱60.8

67.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.90 ₱119

51.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.20 ₱12.52

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$9.83 ₱616

192.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.81 ₱50.7

565.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.23 ₱14.37

1521.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$1.85 ₱116

211.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.04 ₱65.2

48.08%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$21.9K ₱1.4M

3.04%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$16.7K ₱1.0M

55.75%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$141 ₱8,852

-35.25%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$15.67 ₱983

60.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$16.38 ₱1,028

90.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$30.31 ₱1,901

121.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$4.68 ₱293

522.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.09 ₱319

-4.52%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$129 ₱8,063

73.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$7,462 ₱468.0K

-43.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$35.14 ₱2,204

34.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$19.42 ₱1,218

128.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$63.3 ₱3,972

26.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$50.8 ₱3,187

82.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$128 ₱8,040

728.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$78.6 ₱4,931

396.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$327 ₱20.5K

557.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$191 ₱12.0K

567.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,625 ₱164.6K

52.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$913 ₱57.3K

612.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.75

69.63%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Subic Bay Freeport Zone: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $128 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $174 – 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 92%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $988 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $658 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 193% 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 $658, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.