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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $774 per month in Siargao vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,210 per month in Siargao vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,646 per month in Siargao vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Siargao is about 39% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Siargao and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Siargao 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 ₱221

$11.87 MX$204

-69.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.23 ₱1,168

$42.90 MX$736

-55.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.27 ₱199

$10.65 MX$183

-69.30%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ₱154

$3.45 MX$59.2

-26.67%

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

$0.82 ₱49.87

$1.50 MX$25.81

-45.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₱24.16

$0.95 MX$16.28

-57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 ₱75.9

$3.03 MX$51.9

-58.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₱131

$4.61 MX$79.1

-53.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₱116

$1.38 MX$23.61

37.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ₱73.5

$1.85 MX$31.70

-34.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱61.7

$1.61 MX$27.65

-36.65%

Eggs

$2.07 ₱125

$2.59 MX$44.51

-20.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 ₱482

$8.26 MX$142

-3.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 ₱263

$8.37 MX$144

-48.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 ₱474

$10.66 MX$183

-26.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ₱181

$2.63 MX$45.12

13.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₱91.3

$1.49 MX$25.53

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 ₱160

$1.92 MX$32.94

36.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ₱93.9

$2.09 MX$35.81

-25.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 ₱141

$1.86 MX$31.88

24.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ₱154

$2.26 MX$38.81

11.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ₱64.7

$1.06 MX$18.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₱43.48

$1.09 MX$18.67

-33.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 ₱176

$4.15 MX$71.2

-30.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.76 ₱410

$10.39 MX$178

-34.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₱70.9

$1.72 MX$29.59

-31.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱123

$2.61 MX$44.85

-22.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₱17.03

$0.54 MX$9.30

-48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₱50.6

$3.13 MX$53.7

-73.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.64

$2.51 MX$43.09

-90.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ₱131

$3.15 MX$54.1

-31.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱66.2

$1.27 MX$21.88

-14.17%

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

$26.8K ₱1.6M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-11.62%

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

$20.5K ₱1.2M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-13.13%

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

$111 ₱6,727

$83.0 MX$1,425

33.48%

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

$33.34 ₱2,024

$22.71 MX$390

46.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.38 ₱1,663

$29.46 MX$506

-7.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.81 ₱2,053

$51.0 MX$875

-33.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.39 ₱267

$18.33 MX$315

-76.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 ₱367

$4.93 MX$84.5

22.72%

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

$149 ₱9,059

$197 MX$3,386

-24.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,241 ₱257.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-19.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.07 ₱2,797

$36.90 MX$633

24.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.11 ₱1,646

$39.89 MX$685

-32.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,651

$80.0 MX$1,373

-4.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.3 ₱3,234

$89.5 MX$1,536

-40.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 ₱15.9K

$956 MX$16.4K

-72.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱10.9K

$477 MX$8,189

-62.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 ₱36.4K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-63.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱23.6K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-68.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,329 ₱141.4K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-40.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$948 ₱57.5K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-85.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.42

-41.59%

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

Last update for Siargao: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Siargao versus $956 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Siargao versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $250 – making Siargao 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 64%, 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 $1,162 per month in Siargao and $1,906 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 Siargao, 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 $774 in Siargao and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $149 per month in Siargao 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 Siargao, where all-in costs run around $774, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Siargao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Siargao – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Siargao. 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.