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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $845 in Tacloban, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,214 in Tacloban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,583 in Tacloban, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 49% more than Tacloban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tacloban are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tacloban 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.38 ₱268

167.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$17.42 ₱1,067

140.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$2.72 ₱167

286.40%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.65 ₱162

35.47%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.76 ₱46.81

98.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.38 ₱23.36

142.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.56 ₱95.6

89.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.19 ₱134

101.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.29 ₱140

-38.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.58 ₱96.5

18.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.98 ₱59.8

59.18%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.38 ₱146

9.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$12.71 ₱778

-34.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.73 ₱290

76.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.93 ₱485

36.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.52 ₱215

-23.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.22 ₱74.4

23.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.29 ₱202

-43.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.75 ₱107

25.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.65 ₱162

-29.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.49 ₱152

-10.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.94 ₱57.4

13.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.84 ₱51.6

29.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.18 ₱134

92.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.22 ₱381

67.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.21 ₱74.0

37.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.30 ₱141

13.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.18 ₱11.05

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.87 ₱53.5

254.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.17 ₱10.57

1311.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.60 ₱159

20.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.09 ₱66.9

20.18%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$30.2K ₱1.8M

-1.27%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$27.3K ₱1.7M

-14.56%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$97.3 ₱5,955

-16.45%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$33.84 ₱2,071

-33.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$29.29 ₱1,793

2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$34.44 ₱2,108

53.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.35 ₱266

322.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.91 ₱362

-16.75%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$236 ₱14.4K

-14.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,840 ₱235.1K

34.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$46.59 ₱2,852

-22.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$22.58 ₱1,382

77.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$75.0 ₱4,589

6.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$54.8 ₱3,354

57.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$245 ₱15.0K

299.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$210 ₱12.9K

123.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$800 ₱49.0K

106.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$236 ₱14.4K

410.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,367 ₱144.9K

67.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$968 ₱59.3K

582.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$352 ₱21.5K

92.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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 Tacloban: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $245 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 92% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.00 in Tacloban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $234 – 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 49%, 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 $1,267 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $845 in Tacloban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $236 in Tacloban. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tacloban, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.