Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Surigao Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Surigao

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $725 in Surigao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,116 in Surigao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,507 in Surigao, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 75% more than Surigao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Surigao are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Surigao 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$3.65 ₱229

217.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$18.21 ₱1,141

158.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$2.83 ₱177

319.79%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$1.94 ₱122

105.15%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.62 ₱38.64

130.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.36 ₱22.81

127.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$1.17 ₱73.3

172.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.70 ₱107

299.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.69 ₱106

-0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.16 ₱72.4

89.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$0.96 ₱59.9

78.13%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$1.88 ₱118

45.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$5.17 ₱324

85.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.23 ₱265

113.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$7.16 ₱449

78.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$2.39 ₱150

20.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.61 ₱101

-6.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$2.03 ₱127

5.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.29 ₱81.1

75.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$2.15 ₱135

-7.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$2.16 ₱135

-7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.75 ₱47.10

64.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.49 ₱30.69

144.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$2.89 ₱181

57.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$8.96 ₱561

15.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$0.81 ₱50.9

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$1.69 ₱106

70.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.25 ₱15.51

140.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$9.46 ₱593

204.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$0.73 ₱46.02

638.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$0.26 ₱16.39

1334.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$1.94 ₱121

197.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.19 ₱74.8

29.41%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

10.25%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$18.6K ₱1.2M

40.14%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$120 ₱7,514

-23.79%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$13.92 ₱872

81.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$34.49 ₱2,162

-9.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$34.00 ₱2,130

97.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$5.24 ₱329

455.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$5.38 ₱337

-9.67%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$115 ₱7,234

93.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$9,128 ₱572.0K

-53.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$33.87 ₱2,122

39.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$21.55 ₱1,350

105.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$77.7 ₱4,872

3.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$54.5 ₱3,418

69.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$270 ₱16.9K

293.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$171 ₱10.7K

128.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$518 ₱32.5K

314.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$316 ₱19.8K

302.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$2,613 ₱163.8K

53.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,179 ₱73.9K

451.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

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 Surigao: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $270 in Surigao. 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 $18.00 in Surigao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $179 – making Surigao 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 Surigao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 75%, 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 $1,087 in Surigao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surigao, 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 $725 in Surigao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 204% less in Surigao. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Surigao, where all-in costs run around $725, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Surigao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Surigao – 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 Surigao. 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.