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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $772 in Tacloban, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,163 in Tacloban, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,554 in Tacloban, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 64% more than Tacloban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tacloban are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Tacloban 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.94 ₱185

294.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$15.64 ₱981

201.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$2.33 ₱146

409.87%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.35 ₱148

69.36%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.57 ₱35.75

150.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.35 ₱21.77

134.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.58 ₱99.0

101.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.20 ₱138

208.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.88 ₱118

-10.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.14 ₱71.7

92.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.88 ₱55.5

94.32%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.93 ₱121

41.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$10.14 ₱636

-5.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.27 ₱268

111.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.99 ₱439

83.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.35 ₱210

-13.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.14 ₱71.4

31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.38 ₱149

-9.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.55 ₱97.1

45.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.35 ₱147

-15.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.95 ₱122

2.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.22 ₱76.8

0.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.63 ₱39.56

90.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$1.92 ₱121

136.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$6.35 ₱398

63.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.12 ₱70.4

44.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.64 ₱103

75.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.25 ₱15.54

140.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$12.71 ₱797

126.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.79 ₱49.71

582.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.22 ₱13.81

1595.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$1.93 ₱121

198.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.99 ₱62.1

55.56%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$21.6K ₱1.4M

4.41%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$18.9K ₱1.2M

37.73%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$121 ₱7,581

-24.40%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$14.64 ₱918

72.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$27.79 ₱1,743

12.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$32.11 ₱2,014

109.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$4.66 ₱293

524.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.45 ₱342

-10.83%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$134 ₱8,376

67.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$8,051 ₱504.9K

-47.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$31.60 ₱1,982

49.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$19.73 ₱1,238

124.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$77.0 ₱4,830

4.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$55.9 ₱3,509

65.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$271 ₱17.0K

292.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$189 ₱11.9K

106.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$495 ₱31.0K

334.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$352 ₱22.1K

261.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,631 ₱165.0K

52.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,047 ₱65.7K

520.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$350 ₱22.0K

116.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.2

59.03%

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 Tacloban: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $271 in Tacloban. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 116% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $16.00 in Tacloban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $200 – making Tacloban 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 Tacloban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 64%, 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 $1,158 in Tacloban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tacloban, 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 $772 in Tacloban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 127% less in Tacloban. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tacloban, where all-in costs run around $772, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Tacloban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tacloban – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Tacloban. 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.