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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $625 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,004 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,384 in Tuguegarao, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 101% 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 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$1.74 ₱107

573.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$13.18 ₱809

217.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$2.64 ₱162

298.11%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.39 ₱147

50.21%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.48 ₱29.49

214.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.33 ₱20.48

178.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.44 ₱88.6

105.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$1.93 ₱119

128.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.84 ₱113

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.20 ₱73.4

56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$0.77 ₱47.18

102.60%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.27 ₱139

14.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$6.52 ₱401

27.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$3.78 ₱232

120.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$8.65 ₱531

25.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.62 ₱161

3.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.85 ₱114

-18.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$2.31 ₱142

-19.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.21 ₱74.1

80.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.84 ₱113

1.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$2.22 ₱136

0.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.67 ₱40.91

59.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.76 ₱46.38

43.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.11 ₱129

98.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$8.81 ₱541

18.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.06 ₱65.3

56.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.35 ₱144

11.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.26 ₱15.83

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.91 ₱55.7

238.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.22 ₱13.46

990.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$2.43 ₱149

28.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.16 ₱71.3

12.93%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$31.5K ₱1.9M

-5.26%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$20.0K ₱1.2M

16.33%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$36.06 ₱2,214

125.40%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$17.64 ₱1,083

27.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$26.38 ₱1,620

13.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$33.52 ₱2,058

57.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$4.31 ₱265

326.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$5.61 ₱344

-12.30%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$151 ₱9,294

32.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$4,712 ₱289.3K

9.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$47.87 ₱2,939

-24.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$27.42 ₱1,683

46.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$44.20 ₱2,714

80.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$26.62 ₱1,634

224.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$266 ₱16.3K

268.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$178 ₱11.0K

163.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$591 ₱36.3K

179.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$398 ₱24.4K

202.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$211 ₱13.0K

219.97%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Tuguegarao: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $266 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 220% 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 $13.00 in Tuguegarao. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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 101%, 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 $938 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $625 in Tuguegarao. 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 $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 $625, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.