Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Princesa and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Princesa and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $819 per month in Puerto Princesa vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,172 per month in Puerto Princesa vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,526 per month in Puerto Princesa vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Puerto Princesa is about 35% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Puerto Princesa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Puerto Princesa 39% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 ₱254

$11.99 MX$210

-65.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.50 ₱1,632

$41.78 MX$733

-36.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.38 ₱269

$10.75 MX$189

-59.26%

Cappuccino

$2.42 ₱149

$3.50 MX$61.3

-30.86%

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

$0.63 ₱38.66

$1.45 MX$25.41

-56.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₱23.79

$0.88 MX$15.52

-55.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ₱78.1

$2.95 MX$51.7

-56.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₱108

$4.51 MX$79.1

-61.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ₱97.8

$1.43 MX$25.12

11.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ₱70.1

$1.84 MX$32.23

-38.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ₱52.5

$1.57 MX$27.51

-45.86%

Eggs

$1.87 ₱115

$2.51 MX$44.06

-25.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 ₱556

$8.28 MX$145

9.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 ₱304

$8.43 MX$148

-41.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.31 ₱389

$10.68 MX$187

-40.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 ₱220

$2.61 MX$45.76

37.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 ₱61.1

$1.44 MX$25.22

-31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 ₱217

$1.96 MX$34.41

79.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 ₱57.2

$2.09 MX$36.74

-55.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 ₱112

$1.85 MX$32.47

-2.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ₱81.2

$2.17 MX$38.02

-39.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₱66.7

$1.03 MX$18.09

4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱47.91

$1.07 MX$18.84

-27.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$4.10 MX$72.0

-24.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.11 ₱438

$10.17 MX$178

-30.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₱66.1

$1.68 MX$29.38

-36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 ₱110

$2.53 MX$44.31

-29.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.80

$0.51 MX$8.93

-49.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 ₱110

$3.23 MX$56.7

-44.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₱13.47

$2.41 MX$42.19

-90.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱134

$3.23 MX$56.6

-32.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₱71.9

$1.32 MX$23.17

-11.36%

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

$14.1K ₱865.5K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-52.66%

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

$20.7K ₱1.3M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-12.60%

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

$121 ₱7,454

$82.0 MX$1,439

47.64%

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

$13.75 ₱847

$22.95 MX$403

-40.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.59 ₱2,068

$30.11 MX$528

11.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.78 ₱1,649

$52.0 MX$912

-48.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.35 ₱268

$18.53 MX$325

-76.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.45 ₱335

$4.98 MX$87.3

9.44%

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

$63.0 ₱3,878

$197 MX$3,463

-68.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,379 ₱269.6K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-17.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.36 ₱2,792

$35.60 MX$624

27.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.99 ₱1,661

$40.33 MX$707

-33.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 ₱4,581

$78.8 MX$1,381

-5.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 ₱3,305

$88.9 MX$1,560

-39.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$287 ₱17.7K

$947 MX$16.6K

-69.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 ₱13.9K

$474 MX$8,314

-52.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 ₱27.6K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-72.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₱18.9K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-74.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,412 ₱148.5K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-40.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$965 ₱59.4K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-85.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$226 ₱13.9K

$654 MX$11.5K

-65.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

11.42

-27.76%

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

Last update for Puerto Princesa: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $287 in Puerto Princesa versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. 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 190% 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 $27.00 in Puerto Princesa versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $249 – making Puerto Princesa 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

Puerto Princesa vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 53%, 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 $1,228 per month in Puerto Princesa and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Princesa, 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 $819 in Puerto Princesa and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $63.0 per month in Puerto Princesa and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Princesa, where all-in costs run around $819, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Puerto Princesa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Princesa – 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 Puerto Princesa. 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.