Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tagbilaran City Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tagbilaran City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $716 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,183 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,649 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

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

Both Playa del Carmen and Tagbilaran City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tagbilaran City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$4.52 ₱278

165.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$21.67 ₱1,334

92.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$3.34 ₱206

221.86%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.62 ₱161

33.59%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.79 ₱48.73

83.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.42 ₱26.02

109.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.18 ₱72.5

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.16 ₱133

108.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.78 ₱109

-19.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.09 ₱66.8

68.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.94 ₱58.0

67.02%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.92 ₱118

30.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$10.52 ₱648

-21.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$4.65 ₱287

81.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$7.60 ₱468

40.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.58 ₱221

-27.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.32 ₱81.0

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.27 ₱201

-40.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.90 ₱117

10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.31 ₱142

-19.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.43 ₱149

-10.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.01 ₱61.9

1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.69 ₱42.60

55.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.78 ₱171

47.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$6.34 ₱390

60.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.00 ₱61.7

68.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.12 ₱68.9

125.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.28 ₱17.42

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.89 ₱54.8

262.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.25 ₱15.43

864.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.70 ₱166

19.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.15 ₱71.0

14.78%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$28.2K ₱1.7M

5.27%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$22.0K ₱1.4M

7.77%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$78.4 ₱4,827

4.60%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$26.08 ₱1,606

-12.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$29.46 ₱1,814

2.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$34.18 ₱2,104

52.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$4.33 ₱267

327.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$3.95 ₱243

26.08%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$228 ₱14.0K

-13.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$3,830 ₱235.8K

39.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$45.82 ₱2,821

-22.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$20.25 ₱1,247

99.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$73.7 ₱4,540

6.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$55.1 ₱3,390

61.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$214 ₱13.1K

343.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$152 ₱9,360

211.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$538 ₱33.1K

205.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$386 ₱23.8K

213.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$796 ₱49.0K

409.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$484 ₱29.8K

1236.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$178 ₱10.9K

267.68%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Tagbilaran City: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $214 in Tagbilaran City. 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 268% 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 $22.00 in Tagbilaran City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $210 – making Tagbilaran City 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 Tagbilaran City: 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,075 in Tagbilaran City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tagbilaran City, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $716 in Tagbilaran City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $228 in Tagbilaran City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tagbilaran City, where all-in costs run around $716, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Tagbilaran City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tagbilaran City – 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 Tagbilaran City. 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.