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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $643 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,018 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,393 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 100% more than Tuguegarao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tuguegarao are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Tuguegarao 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$1.72 ₱105

594.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$13.51 ₱827

216.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$2.59 ₱158

308.88%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.33 ₱143

55.36%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.48 ₱29.56

206.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.31 ₱18.96

203.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.45 ₱88.6

113.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$1.92 ₱118

132.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.92 ₱117

-25.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.19 ₱72.9

57.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$0.81 ₱49.71

101.23%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$2.21 ₱135

19.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$6.38 ₱391

28.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$3.73 ₱228

122.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$8.55 ₱523

29.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$2.68 ₱164

-1.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.85 ₱113

-18.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$2.35 ₱144

-15.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.17 ₱71.7

77.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.91 ₱117

-6.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$2.23 ₱137

-2.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.72 ₱44.17

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.70 ₱43.01

48.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$2.16 ₱132

83.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$9.11 ₱557

11.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.06 ₱64.9

63.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.25 ₱138

11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.28 ₱17.18

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.93 ₱56.8

237.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.24 ₱14.70

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$2.38 ₱145

29.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.11 ₱68.2

14.41%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$32.0K ₱2.0M

-3.42%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

13.65%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$35.42 ₱2,167

131.54%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$18.07 ₱1,105

24.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$25.83 ₱1,581

14.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$33.38 ₱2,042

55.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$4.45 ₱272

319.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$5.63 ₱345

-11.72%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$151 ₱9,214

31.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$4,743 ₱290.2K

11.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$48.53 ₱2,969

-25.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$27.28 ₱1,669

46.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$44.21 ₱2,705

80.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$26.42 ₱1,616

236.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$262 ₱16.0K

267.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$180 ₱11.0K

158.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$590 ₱36.1K

170.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$401 ₱24.5K

201.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$217 ₱13.3K

232.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.5

153.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Tuguegarao: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $262 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 232% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Tuguegarao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $196 – 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 100%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $964 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $643 in Tuguegarao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $151 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 $643, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.