Cost of Living Comparison Between Subic Bay Freeport Zone and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Subic Bay Freeport Zone and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $759 per month in Subic Bay Freeport Zone vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,316 per month in Subic Bay Freeport Zone vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,873 per month in Subic Bay Freeport Zone vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Subic Bay Freeport Zone is about 41% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Subic Bay Freeport Zone and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Subic Bay Freeport Zone 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ₱273

$11.73 MX$202

-61.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.10 ₱972

$41.78 MX$719

-61.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.53 ₱213

$10.41 MX$179

-66.09%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ₱150

$3.61 MX$62.1

-31.02%

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

$0.86 ₱52.2

$1.46 MX$25.07

-41.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱29.68

$0.97 MX$16.70

-49.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ₱86.4

$2.92 MX$50.3

-51.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₱137

$4.62 MX$79.6

-50.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱110

$1.43 MX$24.60

27.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ₱94.4

$1.90 MX$32.72

-17.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ₱57.8

$1.57 MX$26.96

-38.85%

Eggs

$1.99 ₱120

$2.64 MX$45.36

-24.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 ₱481

$8.44 MX$145

-5.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 ₱304

$8.58 MX$148

-41.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.69 ₱827

$11.00 MX$189

24.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 ₱175

$2.70 MX$46.52

7.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ₱106

$1.51 MX$25.93

16.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ₱82.1

$1.91 MX$32.95

-28.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ₱72.6

$2.17 MX$37.39

-44.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ₱105

$1.87 MX$32.27

-7.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ₱85.1

$2.23 MX$38.44

-36.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ₱66.7

$1.08 MX$18.61

1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₱49.42

$1.07 MX$18.47

-23.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 ₱146

$4.16 MX$71.6

-41.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.28 ₱500

$10.29 MX$177

-19.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₱48.94

$1.68 MX$28.96

-51.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₱135

$2.53 MX$43.60

-11.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.21

$0.55 MX$9.53

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.10 ₱1,093

$26.29 MX$452

-31.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱44.57

$3.20 MX$55.1

-76.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.40

$2.46 MX$42.38

-89.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 ₱128

$3.20 MX$55.1

-33.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₱68.1

$1.32 MX$22.72

-14.39%

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

$28.6K ₱1.7M

$30.2K MX$519.0K

-5.10%

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

$18.0K ₱1.1M

$23.4K MX$402.7K

-23.19%

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

$131 ₱7,923

$81.4 MX$1,400

61.25%

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

$11.10 ₱671

$22.41 MX$386

-50.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.29 ₱1,105

$29.97 MX$516

-38.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.89 ₱1,926

$51.6 MX$887

-38.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 ₱273

$18.39 MX$317

-75.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ₱444

$5.16 MX$88.9

42.44%

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

$154 ₱9,281

$202 MX$3,473

-23.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,396 ₱265.5K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

-17.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.62 ₱2,815

$35.61 MX$613

30.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.70 ₱2,035

$40.37 MX$695

-16.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 ₱4,210

$78.6 MX$1,353

-11.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 ₱7,037

$86.9 MX$1,495

34.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$140 ₱8,483

$950 MX$16.4K

-85.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.1 ₱5,260

$478 MX$8,230

-81.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 ₱21.8K

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-77.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ₱29.4K

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-60.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,778 ₱167.8K

$4,009 MX$69.0K

-30.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,013 ₱61.2K

$6,473 MX$111.4K

-84.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

11.42

-45.97%

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

Last update for Subic Bay Freeport Zone: June 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $140 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone versus $950 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 $16.00 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $254 – making Subic Bay Freeport Zone 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

Subic Bay Freeport Zone vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 70%, 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 $1,139 per month in Subic Bay Freeport Zone and $1,941 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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone, 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 $759 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone and $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Subic Bay Freeport Zone. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, where all-in costs run around $759, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Subic Bay Freeport Zone it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Subic Bay Freeport Zone – 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 Subic Bay Freeport Zone. 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.