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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $677 in Vigan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,080 in Vigan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,482 in Vigan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 88% more than Vigan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Vigan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Vigan 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.47 ₱211

242.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$13.03 ₱791

229.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$1.82 ₱111

485.16%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.75 ₱106

97.14%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.65 ₱39.55

130.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.40 ₱24.50

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.23 ₱74.6

146.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.80 ₱109

156.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.90 ₱116

-27.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.19 ₱72.3

55.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.73 ₱44.24

120.55%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.25 ₱137

15.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.77 ₱533

-5.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.71 ₱225

125.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.57 ₱460

40.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.72 ₱165

-3.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.65 ₱100.0

-9.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.30 ₱140

-16.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.21 ₱73.2

72.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.63 ₱99.0

14.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.15 ₱130

5.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.73 ₱44.08

45.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.76 ₱46.31

43.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.35 ₱143

76.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$8.74 ₱531

18.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.03 ₱62.6

66.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.72 ₱105

51.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.28 ₱17.19

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.74 ₱44.93

322.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.18 ₱10.96

1294.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.41 ₱146

30.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.16 ₱70.3

9.48%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$14.0K ₱849.0K

117.24%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$16.0K ₱972.4K

47.15%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$52.3 ₱3,175

58.73%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$34.62 ₱2,102

-34.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$25.80 ₱1,567

14.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$33.68 ₱2,045

51.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$4.41 ₱268

315.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.59 ₱340

-11.81%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$35.46 ₱2,153

456.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,684 ₱284.4K

12.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$49.46 ₱3,003

-25.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$27.86 ₱1,692

43.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$62.9 ₱3,821

27.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$46.97 ₱2,852

90.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$268 ₱16.3K

256.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$175 ₱10.6K

172.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$597 ₱36.2K

175.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$392 ₱23.8K

212.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,484 ₱150.8K

57.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$960 ₱58.3K

572.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Vigan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $268 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Vigan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $196 – 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 88%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,016 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $677 in Vigan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $35.46 in Vigan. 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 Vigan, where all-in costs run around $677, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.