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 $3,507 per month in Singapore vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,136 per month in Singapore vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,764 per month in Singapore vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Singapore costs about 179% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Singapore sits 163% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.77 SGD 13.90

$11.99 MX$209

-10.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.1 SGD 101

$41.78 MX$728

86.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 SGD 9.78

$10.75 MX$187

-29.49%

Cappuccino

$4.84 SGD 6.25

$3.50 MX$60.9

38.29%

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

$1.70 SGD 2.19

$1.45 MX$25.22

17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 SGD 1.55

$0.88 MX$15.41

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 SGD 10.13

$2.95 MX$51.3

166.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.15 SGD 11.81

$4.51 MX$78.6

102.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 SGD 3.96

$1.43 MX$24.94

114.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 SGD 3.07

$1.84 MX$31.99

29.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 SGD 3.60

$1.57 MX$27.31

77.71%

Eggs

$3.29 SGD 4.24

$2.51 MX$43.74

31.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.19 SGD 24.78

$8.28 MX$144

131.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 SGD 14.74

$8.43 MX$147

35.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.61 SGD 29.18

$10.68 MX$186

111.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 SGD 5.88

$2.61 MX$45.43

74.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 SGD 3.85

$1.44 MX$25.04

106.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 SGD 6.40

$1.96 MX$34.16

152.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 SGD 3.53

$2.09 MX$36.47

31.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 SGD 3.25

$1.85 MX$32.24

36.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 SGD 2.80

$2.17 MX$37.74

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 SGD 2.52

$1.03 MX$17.96

89.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SGD 1.93

$1.07 MX$18.70

39.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.20 SGD 17.04

$4.10 MX$71.4

221.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.04 SGD 29.74

$10.17 MX$177

126.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 SGD 5.38

$1.68 MX$29.17

148.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 SGD 6.66

$2.53 MX$43.98

103.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 SGD 2.06

$0.51 MX$8.87

211.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.0 SGD 121

$26.04 MX$453

260.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 SGD 4.75

$3.23 MX$56.3

13.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 SGD 0.94

$2.41 MX$41.88

-70.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.54 SGD 21.35

$3.23 MX$56.2

412.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 SGD 2.84

$1.32 MX$23.00

66.67%

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

$142.5K SGD 183.9K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

379.84%

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

$127.5K SGD 164.6K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

438.77%

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

$156 SGD 201

$82.0 MX$1,428

89.61%

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

$18.63 SGD 24.05

$22.95 MX$400

-18.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.75 SGD 48.73

$30.11 MX$524

25.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 SGD 155

$52.0 MX$905

130.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 SGD 15.61

$18.53 MX$323

-34.70%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 SGD 14.89

$4.98 MX$86.6

131.53%

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

$1,190 SGD 1,536

$197 MX$3,438

502.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K SGD 37.6K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

446.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 SGD 108

$35.60 MX$620

134.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.55 SGD 54.9

$40.33 MX$702

5.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SGD 139

$78.8 MX$1,371

36.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 SGD 166

$88.9 MX$1,549

44.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,209 SGD 4,142

$947 MX$16.5K

238.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,299 SGD 2,968

$474 MX$8,254

385.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,127 SGD 7,909

$1,644 MX$28.6K

272.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,793 SGD 4,896

$1,211 MX$21.1K

213.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.3K SGD 30.0K

$4,056 MX$70.6K

473.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K SGD 21.2K

$6,470 MX$112.7K

153.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,969 SGD 5,124

$654 MX$11.4K

506.97%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,209 in Singapore 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 507% 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: $450 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 179%, 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 $5,261 per month in Singapore 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 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 $3,507 in Singapore and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 261% 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 $1,256, than in Singapore at $3,507. 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.