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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $825 in Tacloban, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,194 in Tacloban, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,563 in Tacloban, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 57% more than Tacloban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tacloban are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tacloban 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$4.34 ₱261

170.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$17.49 ₱1,053

138.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$2.67 ₱161

289.89%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.63 ₱158

37.26%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.76 ₱45.88

92.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.41 ₱24.80

136.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.51 ₱91.2

93.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.15 ₱130

114.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.24 ₱135

-36.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.57 ₱94.5

21.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.00 ₱60.0

57.00%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.38 ₱143

10.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$12.97 ₱781

-34.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$4.65 ₱280

84.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$7.89 ₱475

39.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.61 ₱217

-25.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.27 ₱76.3

18.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$3.37 ₱203

-43.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.81 ₱109

19.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.57 ₱155

-27.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$2.57 ₱155

-13.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.97 ₱58.5

11.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.79 ₱47.41

35.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.15 ₱129

93.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$6.40 ₱386

60.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.19 ₱71.9

41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.27 ₱137

11.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.17 ₱10.39

223.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.87 ₱52.1

267.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.15 ₱9.14

1540.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$2.64 ₱159

21.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.10 ₱66.0

20.00%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$29.9K ₱1.8M

0.68%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$27.3K ₱1.6M

-14.25%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$95.4 ₱5,747

-14.75%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$34.92 ₱2,103

-35.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$30.40 ₱1,831

-1.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$34.84 ₱2,098

47.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$4.51 ₱272

307.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$6.11 ₱368

-15.55%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$229 ₱13.8K

-11.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$3,836 ₱231.0K

38.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$46.70 ₱2,812

-23.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$23.32 ₱1,405

73.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$75.5 ₱4,545

4.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$55.8 ₱3,361

55.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$249 ₱15.0K

281.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$211 ₱12.7K

127.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$808 ₱48.7K

100.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$234 ₱14.1K

423.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$2,443 ₱147.1K

64.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$1,004 ₱60.5K

544.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$364 ₱21.9K

85.03%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Tacloban: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $249 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 85% 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: $254 vs $235 – 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 57%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,238 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $825 in Tacloban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $229 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 $825, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.