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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $736 in Vigan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,092 in Vigan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,448 in Vigan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 72% more than Vigan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Vigan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Vigan 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.88 ₱244

198.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$16.63 ₱1,045

183.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$1.79 ₱112

563.69%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$1.76 ₱111

126.14%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.60 ₱37.45

138.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.33 ₱20.97

148.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.04 ₱65.1

206.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.58 ₱99.2

329.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.59 ₱100

5.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.15 ₱72.2

91.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.03 ₱64.4

66.02%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.08 ₱131

31.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.15 ₱324

86.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.47 ₱218

159.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.81 ₱491

64.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.29 ₱144

26.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.60 ₱100

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.32 ₱146

-7.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.02 ₱64.1

121.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.72 ₱108

15.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.77 ₱111

12.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.67 ₱41.92

83.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.49 ₱31.00

144.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.92 ₱183

55.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.68 ₱545

19.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.91 ₱57.0

78.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.05 ₱129

40.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.26 ₱16.37

130.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$12.05 ₱757

139.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.78 ₱48.80

591.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.23 ₱14.35

1521.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$1.89 ₱119

205.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.20 ₱75.5

28.33%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$21.5K ₱1.3M

5.08%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$19.5K ₱1.2M

33.33%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$140 ₱8,825

-34.94%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$17.18 ₱1,080

46.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$23.34 ₱1,467

33.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$30.92 ₱1,943

117.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$5.22 ₱328

457.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$5.31 ₱334

-8.47%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$131 ₱8,221

70.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$10.7K ₱674.6K

-60.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$28.45 ₱1,787

65.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$19.51 ₱1,226

127.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$72.1 ₱4,527

11.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$54.7 ₱3,434

69.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$298 ₱18.7K

256.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$167 ₱10.5K

133.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$462 ₱29.0K

365.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$395 ₱24.8K

221.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,579 ₱162.0K

55.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,164 ₱73.1K

458.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

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 12, 2026

Last update for Vigan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $298 in Vigan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.00 in Vigan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $175 – making Vigan 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 Vigan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 72%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,104 in Vigan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vigan, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $736 in Vigan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 139% less in Vigan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Vigan, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Vigan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vigan – 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 Vigan. 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.