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 $3,651 per month in Singapore vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,223 per month in Singapore vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,796 per month in Singapore vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Singapore costs about 182% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Singapore sits 172% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.73 SGD 13.78

$11.73 MX$203

-8.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 SGD 101

$41.62 MX$719

88.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 SGD 10.13

$10.64 MX$184

-25.94%

Cappuccino

$4.92 SGD 6.32

$3.52 MX$60.8

39.77%

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

$1.63 SGD 2.10

$1.51 MX$26.09

7.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 SGD 1.58

$0.97 MX$16.82

26.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 SGD 10.08

$2.95 MX$51.0

166.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.61 SGD 12.34

$4.45 MX$77.0

115.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 SGD 3.95

$1.38 MX$23.90

122.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 SGD 3.10

$1.89 MX$32.69

27.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 SGD 3.61

$1.64 MX$28.29

71.34%

Eggs

$3.37 SGD 4.34

$2.51 MX$43.30

34.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 SGD 24.85

$8.34 MX$144

131.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.36 SGD 14.59

$8.34 MX$144

36.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.95 SGD 29.49

$10.73 MX$185

113.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 SGD 5.81

$2.60 MX$45.00

73.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SGD 3.78

$1.46 MX$25.18

101.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.86 SGD 6.25

$1.90 MX$32.84

155.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 SGD 3.38

$2.08 MX$35.88

26.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 SGD 3.18

$1.78 MX$30.68

38.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 SGD 2.78

$2.19 MX$37.76

-1.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 SGD 2.58

$1.04 MX$17.97

93.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SGD 1.94

$1.08 MX$18.60

39.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.24 SGD 17.01

$4.08 MX$70.5

224.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.27 SGD 32.47

$10.32 MX$178

144.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.31 SGD 5.54

$1.71 MX$29.59

152.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 SGD 6.68

$2.58 MX$44.50

101.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 SGD 2.03

$0.51 MX$8.81

209.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.7 SGD 120

$26.46 MX$457

254.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 SGD 4.50

$3.26 MX$56.4

7.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 SGD 1.00

$2.49 MX$43.05

-69.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.11 SGD 20.70

$3.25 MX$56.1

395.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 SGD 2.82

$1.31 MX$22.59

67.94%

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

$142.1K SGD 182.6K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

369.46%

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

$129.1K SGD 165.9K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

451.05%

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

$160 SGD 205

$82.9 MX$1,432

92.98%

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

$18.36 SGD 23.58

$22.22 MX$384

-17.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.57 SGD 46.98

$29.34 MX$507

24.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$117 SGD 150

$51.6 MX$892

126.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.39 SGD 15.92

$18.32 MX$317

-32.37%

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 SGD 14.97

$5.07 MX$87.5

129.78%

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

$1,184 SGD 1,521

$201 MX$3,470

489.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.9K SGD 38.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

473.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 SGD 106

$36.92 MX$638

122.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.04 SGD 55.3

$39.79 MX$688

8.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SGD 138

$78.5 MX$1,356

36.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 SGD 168

$87.1 MX$1,505

50.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,101 SGD 3,984

$973 MX$16.8K

218.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 SGD 2,929

$468 MX$8,082

387.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,201 SGD 7,967

$1,641 MX$28.4K

277.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,793 SGD 4,873

$1,221 MX$21.1K

210.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.5K SGD 30.2K

$3,946 MX$68.2K

495.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K SGD 21.2K

$6,498 MX$112.3K

154.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,285 SGD 5,505

$664 MX$11.5K

545.38%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,101 in Singapore versus $973 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 545% 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 $78.0 in Singapore versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $457 vs $249 – 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 182%, 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 $5,477 per month in Singapore and $1,945 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 $3,651 in Singapore and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 254% 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 $1,297, than in Singapore at $3,651. 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.