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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $697 in Vigan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,100 in Vigan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,504 in Vigan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 81% 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 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.60 ₱220

225.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$13.12 ₱803

219.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$1.82 ₱111

477.47%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.81 ₱111

98.34%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.69 ₱42.29

118.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.38 ₱23.25

142.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.20 ₱73.6

146.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.74 ₱106

153.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.84 ₱113

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.19 ₱73.1

57.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.76 ₱46.47

105.26%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.19 ₱134

19.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.99 ₱551

-7.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.87 ₱237

115.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.27 ₱445

49.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.63 ₱161

3.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.61 ₱98.6

-6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.30 ₱141

-18.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.16 ₱70.7

88.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.64 ₱101

13.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.15 ₱131

3.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.72 ₱43.78

48.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.76 ₱46.75

43.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.27 ₱139

84.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$8.83 ₱541

18.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.08 ₱66.2

53.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.73 ₱106

50.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.28 ₱17.32

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.68 ₱41.88

352.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.17 ₱10.33

1311.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.45 ₱150

27.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.11 ₱68.1

18.02%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$14.0K ₱858.2K

112.61%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$16.2K ₱990.4K

44.15%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$53.6 ₱3,280

51.70%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$34.00 ₱2,081

-33.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$26.25 ₱1,607

14.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$34.16 ₱2,091

54.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$4.51 ₱276

307.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.87 ₱359

-16.18%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$36.00 ₱2,203

457.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$4,816 ₱294.8K

7.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$47.88 ₱2,931

-24.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$27.04 ₱1,655

48.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$61.4 ₱3,758

29.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$46.45 ₱2,843

86.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$262 ₱16.0K

273.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$175 ₱10.7K

168.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$594 ₱36.3K

178.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$398 ₱24.4K

202.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,167 ₱132.7K

82.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$904 ₱55.4K

630.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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 Vigan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $262 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Vigan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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 81%, 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 $1,045 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $697 in Vigan. 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 $36.00 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 $697, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.