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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $619 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $999 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,378 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 109% 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 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.01 ₱188

289.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$786

$17.53 ₱1,098

165.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$2.80 ₱176

316.07%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$2.57 ₱161

59.14%

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

$1.37 MX$23.20

$0.92 ₱57.3

48.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.07

$0.42 ₱26.33

97.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$0.82 ₱51.5

308.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$2.21 ₱138

212.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.15

$1.56 ₱97.8

10.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.15

$1.01 ₱63.3

123.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.86

$0.89 ₱55.9

98.88%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.12

$1.80 ₱113

51.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$9.88 ₱619

-7.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$4.56 ₱286

95.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$7.44 ₱466

69.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$2.82 ₱177

7.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.51

$1.35 ₱84.8

16.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.88

$2.31 ₱144

-7.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.22

$1.56 ₱97.9

44.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.82

$2.45 ₱153

-18.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.85

$1.90 ₱119

8.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.91

$0.65 ₱40.52

81.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$0.50 ₱31.02

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.2

$2.39 ₱150

93.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$6.23 ₱390

71.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.33

$0.93 ₱58.5

74.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.63

$1.07 ₱66.9

169.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$0.50 ₱31.32

14.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$91.9

$0.75 ₱47.23

626.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.5

$0.21 ₱13.14

1661.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$4.38 ₱274

36.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$1.08 ₱67.6

43.52%

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

$22.3K MX$376.8K

$21.8K ₱1.4M

2.19%

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

$25.9K MX$438.0K

$19.7K ₱1.2M

31.89%

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

$89.1 MX$1,504

$79.3 ₱4,963

12.45%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$14.82 ₱928

68.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$25.23 ₱1,580

24.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

$11.18 ₱700

506.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

$3.29 ₱206

779.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.2

$3.56 ₱223

41.85%

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

$225 MX$3,797

$277 ₱17.3K

-18.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$8,083 ₱506.1K

-47.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$38.16 ₱2,390

24.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$17.97 ₱1,126

150.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$65.8 ₱4,117

24.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$58.7 ₱3,679

56.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

$196 ₱12.3K

446.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

$141 ₱8,808

188.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$481 ₱30.1K

302.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$341 ₱21.3K

281.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

$806 ₱50.5K

395.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

$480 ₱30.1K

1279.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$176 ₱11.0K

325.78%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tagbilaran City: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $196 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 326% 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 $18.00 in Tagbilaran City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $189 – 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 109%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $929 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $619 in Tagbilaran City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $277 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 $619, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.