Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,215 a month against $3,454 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $26,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

168

Cost of Living Index in Singapore
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Singapore Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Singapore

🇸🇬 Singapore

$3,454

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,215

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Singapore and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,454 per month in Singapore vs $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Singapore $3,454
Playa del Carmen $1,215

A couple spends around $5,224 per month in Singapore vs $2,144 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Singapore $5,224
Playa del Carmen $2,144

A family of three spends $6,994 per month in Singapore vs $3,072 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Singapore $6,994
Playa del Carmen $3,072

Singapore costs about 184% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Singapore sits 158% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 SGD 14.77

$10.97 MX$200

5.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 SGD 91.2

$44.85 MX$816

58.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 SGD 11.22

$11.92 MX$217

-26.51%

Cappuccino

$5.25 SGD 6.73

$3.80 MX$69.2

38.16%

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

$1.83 SGD 2.34

$1.31 MX$23.86

39.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 SGD 1.60

$0.86 MX$15.58

45.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.42 SGD 10.79

$3.21 MX$58.4

162.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.02 SGD 12.83

$5.01 MX$91.2

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 SGD 3.76

$1.46 MX$26.53

101.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 SGD 3.16

$2.33 MX$42.33

6.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 SGD 3.47

$1.44 MX$26.24

88.19%

Eggs

$3.73 SGD 4.77

$2.46 MX$44.78

51.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.54 SGD 27.58

$7.70 MX$140

179.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.52 SGD 12.20

$7.89 MX$144

20.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.98 SGD 33.27

$12.80 MX$233

102.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 SGD 5.74

$2.92 MX$53.1

53.42%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 SGD 3.99

$1.42 MX$25.87

119.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.62 SGD 5.92

$2.57 MX$46.66

79.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 SGD 2.86

$2.14 MX$38.88

4.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 SGD 3.20

$1.95 MX$35.42

28.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 SGD 3.05

$1.94 MX$35.22

22.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 SGD 2.28

$1.15 MX$20.94

54.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SGD 1.93

$1.22 MX$22.21

23.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.18 SGD 18.16

$4.38 MX$79.6

223.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.79 SGD 30.47

$9.85 MX$179

141.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.51 SGD 5.78

$1.54 MX$27.97

192.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 SGD 5.86

$2.72 MX$49.40

68.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 SGD 2.03

$0.52 MX$9.55

203.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.4 SGD 123

$27.42 MX$499

251.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 SGD 4.65

$4.91 MX$89.4

-26.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 SGD 1.02

$3.52 MX$64.1

-77.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.18 SGD 20.72

$5.69 MX$103

184.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.51 SGD 3.21

$1.54 MX$28.01

62.99%

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

$155.9K SGD 199.6K

$21.2K MX$386.3K

633.86%

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

$145.8K SGD 186.7K

$24.5K MX$445.4K

495.28%

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

$175 SGD 224

$83.6 MX$1,521

109.33%

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

$12.45 SGD 15.94

$24.03 MX$437

-48.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.64 SGD 34.11

$29.33 MX$534

-9.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 SGD 143

$64.9 MX$1,180

71.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.07 SGD 15.46

$29.46 MX$536

-59.03%

Cinema Ticket

$11.60 SGD 14.85

$5.09 MX$92.5

127.90%

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

$1,463 SGD 1,874

$208 MX$3,778

604.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.4K SGD 36.3K

$4,045 MX$73.6K

601.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 SGD 104

$44.55 MX$810

82.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 SGD 64.8

$42.06 MX$765

20.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 SGD 143

$75.5 MX$1,374

47.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 SGD 166

$91.4 MX$1,662

42.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,916 SGD 3,734

$986 MX$17.9K

195.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,128 SGD 2,725

$385 MX$7,007

452.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,654 SGD 7,241

$1,713 MX$31.2K

229.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,968 SGD 5,081

$1,108 MX$20.2K

257.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.6K SGD 30.2K

$4,016 MX$73.0K

487.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.8K SGD 21.5K

$6,247 MX$113.6K

169.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,369 SGD 5,594

$758 MX$13.8K

476.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.44

11.45

-78.69%

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

Last update for Singapore: October 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Singapore

$2.1K 61.4%

Playa del Carmen

$385 31.4% 81.9% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Singapore

$457 13.2%

Playa del Carmen

$260 21.2% 43.1% $197

Eating Out

Singapore

$256 7.4%

Playa del Carmen

$204 16.6% 20.3% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Singapore

$214 6.2%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.2% 36% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Singapore

$168 4.9%

Playa del Carmen

$114 9.3% 32.1% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Singapore

$135 3.9%

Playa del Carmen

$75 6.1% 44.3% $60

Getting Around

Singapore

$110 3.2%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.2% 52.8% $58

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,916 in Singapore versus $986 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 476% higher in Singapore, 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 $71.0 in Singapore versus $45.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $457 vs $260 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇬 Singapore

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

16:54 4:54 PM

03:54 3:54 AM

13 h behind Singapore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,535,002 Capital

149,923

💱 Currency

Singapore Dollar SGD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 SGD = 0.781 USD

1 SGD = 0.696 EUR

100 MXN = 5.5 USD

100 MXN = 4.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to SGD – Singapore Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇬 Singapore Dollar ($)

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.696 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.19 MXN (100 MXN = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20.4 MXN (100 MXN = 4.9 EUR).

USD to SGD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Singapore Playa del Carmen 17,300 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Singapore
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Yes – Singapore is pricier by about 184%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,180 per month in Singapore and $1,823 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $3,454 in Singapore and $1,215 in Playa del Carmen. That's a gap of about 184%.

Public transport costs about 251% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,215, than in Singapore at $3,454. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Singapore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.