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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,569 per month in Singapore vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,229 per month in Singapore vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,889 per month in Singapore vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Singapore costs about 183% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Singapore sits 165% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.72 SGD 13.62

$11.61 MX$201

-7.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 SGD 99.7

$42.75 MX$742

83.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 SGD 9.82

$10.60 MX$184

-27.08%

Cappuccino

$5.06 SGD 6.43

$3.59 MX$62.3

40.95%

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

$1.71 SGD 2.17

$1.45 MX$25.21

17.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 SGD 1.56

$0.90 MX$15.58

36.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 SGD 10.02

$3.03 MX$52.6

160.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.27 SGD 11.78

$4.56 MX$79.2

103.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.08 SGD 3.91

$1.45 MX$25.20

112.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 SGD 2.93

$1.83 MX$31.72

26.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 SGD 3.58

$1.61 MX$27.92

75.16%

Eggs

$3.30 SGD 4.19

$2.54 MX$44.05

29.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.14 SGD 24.31

$8.54 MX$148

124.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.27 SGD 14.31

$8.47 MX$147

33.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.31 SGD 28.33

$10.86 MX$189

105.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 SGD 5.76

$2.73 MX$47.37

65.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 SGD 3.66

$1.49 MX$25.91

93.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 SGD 6.15

$1.94 MX$33.73

149.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 SGD 3.49

$2.16 MX$37.57

26.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 SGD 3.08

$1.85 MX$32.05

31.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 SGD 2.84

$2.19 MX$38.00

1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 SGD 2.61

$1.07 MX$18.62

92.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SGD 1.99

$1.08 MX$18.81

45.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.11 SGD 16.65

$4.06 MX$70.5

222.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.36 SGD 32.21

$10.46 MX$182

142.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 SGD 5.36

$1.65 MX$28.71

155.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 SGD 6.40

$2.55 MX$44.23

97.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 SGD 2.04

$0.56 MX$9.65

185.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.4 SGD 119

$26.20 MX$455

256.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 SGD 4.65

$3.14 MX$54.5

16.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 SGD 0.96

$2.37 MX$41.17

-67.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.14 SGD 20.49

$3.24 MX$56.2

398.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 SGD 2.76

$1.31 MX$22.81

66.41%

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

$140.6K SGD 178.6K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

360.54%

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

$129.5K SGD 164.5K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

443.64%

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

$159 SGD 202

$83.1 MX$1,443

90.98%

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

$18.22 SGD 23.13

$22.15 MX$385

-17.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.77 SGD 47.97

$29.37 MX$510

28.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 SGD 153

$51.2 MX$889

134.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.06 SGD 15.32

$18.69 MX$324

-35.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 SGD 14.96

$4.89 MX$84.9

140.90%

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

$1,206 SGD 1,531

$199 MX$3,449

506.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K SGD 37.5K

$5,207 MX$90.4K

467.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.4 SGD 103

$35.93 MX$624

126.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.54 SGD 55.3

$39.39 MX$684

10.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SGD 134

$80.3 MX$1,394

31.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 SGD 167

$87.6 MX$1,520

49.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,189 SGD 4,050

$963 MX$16.7K

231.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 SGD 2,906

$482 MX$8,370

374.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,085 SGD 7,728

$1,645 MX$28.6K

269.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,740 SGD 4,750

$1,192 MX$20.7K

213.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.4K SGD 29.7K

$3,957 MX$68.7K

490.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K SGD 21.0K

$6,513 MX$113.1K

153.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,293 SGD 5,452

$726 MX$12.6K

491.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.19

11.42

-72.07%

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

Last update for Singapore: April 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,189 in Singapore versus $963 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 491% 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 $78 in Singapore versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $453 vs $253 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Singapore is pricier by about 183%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,353 per month in Singapore and $1,894 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 $3,569 in Singapore and $1,262 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 257% 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 $1,262, than in Singapore at $3,569. 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.