Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tarlac City

For one person, living is cheaper in Tarlac City: $523 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Tarlac City
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Tarlac City Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Tarlac City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$523

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Tarlac City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Tarlac City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $523 in Tarlac City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Tarlac City $523

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $801 in Tarlac City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Tarlac City $801

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,080 in Tarlac City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,959
Tarlac City $1,080

Playa del Carmen costs about 130% more than Tarlac City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tarlac City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Tarlac City 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$205

$1.99 ₱127

448.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$815

$7.94 ₱506

446.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$221

$2.67 ₱170

341.20%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.6

$1.82 ₱116

109.34%

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

$1.28 MX$24.10

$0.48 ₱30.72

166.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.71

$0.30 ₱19.15

160.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.5

$0.95 ₱60.6

233.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.7

$1.58 ₱100

212.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.43

$1.65 ₱105

-14.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.66

$1.13 ₱72.0

96.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.64

$1.01 ₱64.1

40.59%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.41

$1.92 ₱123

31.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$137

$4.95 ₱315

46.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$145

$2.68 ₱171

187.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$239

$6.35 ₱405

99.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$52.3

$1.57 ₱100

77.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.71

$1.51 ₱96.4

-9.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.94

$2.01 ₱128

26.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.90

$1.02 ₱64.9

107.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.43

$1.71 ₱109

13.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.44

$1.19 ₱75.5

58.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.55

$0.66 ₱41.80

74.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$22.16

$0.52 ₱33.32

126.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.7

$2.97 ₱189

44.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$187

$3.72 ₱237

167.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.76

$0.89 ₱56.9

77.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$50.2

$1.52 ₱97.1

75.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.40

$0.24 ₱15.31

129.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$500

$8.05 ₱513

230.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$93.4

$0.75 ₱47.49

562.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.6

$0.22 ₱13.93

1413.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$101

$1.30 ₱82.7

312.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$27.14

$1.11 ₱71.0

29.73%

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

$20.7K MX$388.4K

$21.2K ₱1.4M

-2.67%

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

$23.5K MX$441.0K

$19.0K ₱1.2M

23.46%

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

$84.8 MX$1,594

$87.4 ₱5,565

-2.96%

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

$23.41 MX$440

$5.34 ₱340

338.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$539

$23.23 ₱1,480

23.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,072

$39.36 ₱2,507

44.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$543

$15.91 ₱1,014

81.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$96.6

$5.11 ₱326

0.59%

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

$207 MX$3,882

$130 ₱8,272

59.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.8K

$10.5K ₱669.1K

-62.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$815

$28.72 ₱1,829

50.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$779

$18.79 ₱1,197

120.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,394

$62.0 ₱3,947

19.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,677

$47.50 ₱3,025

87.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.4K

$87.2 ₱5,555

1022.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,157

$70.5 ₱4,492

439.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$32.1K

$248 ₱15.8K

588.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.2K

$163 ₱10.4K

559.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$74.1K

$370 ₱23.5K

966.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.7K

$284 ₱18.1K

2070.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.8K

$208 ₱13.3K

252.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.75

69.63%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Tarlac City: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Tarlac City

$71 13.5% 81.5% $310

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Tarlac City

$148 28.4% 41.8% $106

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Tarlac City

$57 10.9% 72% $146

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Tarlac City

$116 22.2% 15.3% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Tarlac City

$71 13.5% 36.8% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Tarlac City

$50 9.5% 26.3% $18

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Tarlac City

$11 2.1% 78.5% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $87 in Tarlac City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Playa del Carmen are about 3.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $8 in Tarlac City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $148 – making Tarlac City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇵🇭 Tarlac City

🕒 Local time

21:42 9:42 PM

10:42 10:42 AM

13 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

385,398

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.32 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 63.69 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.12 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Playa del Carmen Tarlac City 14,990 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Tarlac City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Tarlac City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 130%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $784 in Tarlac City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tarlac City, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $87 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $523 in Tarlac City. That makes Tarlac City about 57% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 70% less in Tarlac City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Tarlac City, where all-in costs run around $523, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Tarlac 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 Tarlac City – 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 Tarlac City. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.