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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $964 in Taguig City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,567 in Taguig City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,169 in Taguig City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 31% more than Taguig City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Taguig City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Taguig City 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.56 ₱279

157.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$27.04 ₱1,655

54.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.65 ₱224

187.95%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.63 ₱161

36.50%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.81 ₱49.57

86.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.45 ₱27.54

104.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.48 ₱90.4

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.61 ₱160

68.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.89 ₱116

-25.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.39 ₱84.9

35.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.09 ₱66.8

43.12%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.11 ₱129

23.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.30 ₱569

-10.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.11 ₱313

63.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$8.79 ₱538

23.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.73 ₱167

-0.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.81 ₱111

-16.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.16 ₱193

-40.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.21 ₱73.9

80.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.92 ₱117

-3.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$3.18 ₱194

-29.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.81 ₱111

-40.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.76 ₱46.67

43.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.36 ₱206

24.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$8.70 ₱532

19.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.40 ₱85.7

18.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.24 ₱137

16.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.22 ₱13.40

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.86 ₱52.5

258.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.22 ₱13.38

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.15 ₱132

45.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.12 ₱68.9

16.96%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.2K ₱1.6M

13.58%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

12.58%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$129 ₱7,908

-37.08%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$32.23 ₱1,973

-30.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$26.63 ₱1,630

12.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$43.69 ₱2,675

21.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.55 ₱401

-24.89%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$153 ₱9,370

31.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$11.5K ₱704.4K

-55.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$47.26 ₱2,893

-23.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$33.53 ₱2,053

19.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$69.0 ₱4,222

15.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$47.11 ₱2,884

83.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$582 ₱35.6K

68.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$321 ₱19.7K

46.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,969 ₱120.5K

-16.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$813 ₱49.8K

47.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$4,093 ₱250.5K

-3.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,377 ₱84.3K

379.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$483 ₱29.6K

40.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.17

85.09%

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 Taguig City: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $582 in Taguig 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 40% 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 $27.00 in Taguig City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $226 – making Taguig 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 Taguig City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,446 in Taguig City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taguig 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $964 in Taguig City. 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 $153 in Taguig City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Taguig City, where all-in costs run around $964, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Taguig 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 Taguig 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 Taguig 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.