Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tuguegarao Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tuguegarao

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $447 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $733 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,018 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 192% more than Tuguegarao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tuguegarao are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tuguegarao 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$1.56 ₱98.0

666.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$16.89 ₱1,059

180.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$2.79 ₱175

321.15%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.85 ₱116

122.70%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.47 ₱29.35

197.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.28 ₱17.46

225.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.01 ₱63.5

217.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.55 ₱97.4

356.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.63 ₱102

3.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.17 ₱73.1

83.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.74 ₱46.31

139.19%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.00 ₱125

41.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$5.23 ₱328

75.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.52 ₱221

162.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.77 ₱487

62.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.23 ₱140

32.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.59 ₱99.8

-0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.44 ₱153

-9.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.04 ₱65.1

126.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.76 ₱110

13.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.76 ₱110

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.61 ₱38.18

103.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.53 ₱32.93

128.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$1.89 ₱118

143.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$8.69 ₱545

21.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.89 ₱56.0

89.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.06 ₱129

34.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.77 ₱48.06

580.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.23 ₱14.33

1486.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$1.89 ₱119

205.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.14 ₱71.6

35.09%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$21.4K ₱1.3M

6.74%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$19.2K ₱1.2M

34.62%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$32.48 ₱2,036

179.16%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$17.60 ₱1,103

43.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$23.04 ₱1,444

37.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$24.27 ₱1,522

183.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$4.69 ₱294

526.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$5.24 ₱329

-7.25%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$134 ₱8,397

68.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$10.9K ₱680.6K

-61.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$29.00 ₱1,818

63.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$19.17 ₱1,202

126.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$39.31 ₱2,465

104.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$23.81 ₱1,492

283.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$127 ₱7,966

754.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$62.6 ₱3,922

553.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$188 ₱11.8K

949.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$129 ₱8,101

891.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$205 ₱12.9K

277.26%

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tuguegarao: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $127 in Tuguegarao. 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 277% 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 $17.00 in Tuguegarao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $175 – making Tuguegarao 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 Tuguegarao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 192%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $671 in Tuguegarao. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tuguegarao, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $447 in Tuguegarao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $134 in Tuguegarao. 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 Tuguegarao, where all-in costs run around $447, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Tuguegarao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tuguegarao – 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 Tuguegarao. 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.