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 $747 per month in Subic Bay Freeport Zone vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,304 per month in Subic Bay Freeport Zone vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,861 per month in Subic Bay Freeport Zone vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Subic Bay Freeport Zone is about 42% 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 44% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ₱277

$11.94 MX$208

-62.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.84 ₱969

$42.75 MX$744

-62.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.65 ₱223

$10.59 MX$184

-65.53%

Cappuccino

$2.46 ₱151

$3.62 MX$63.0

-32.04%

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

$0.85 ₱52.1

$1.47 MX$25.54

-42.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₱28.12

$0.94 MX$16.41

-51.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 ₱88.1

$3.09 MX$53.8

-53.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₱139

$4.46 MX$77.6

-48.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ₱110

$1.43 MX$24.80

26.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 ₱94.0

$1.88 MX$32.79

-18.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ₱60.9

$1.63 MX$28.34

-38.65%

Eggs

$2.00 ₱123

$2.64 MX$45.99

-24.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.03 ₱491

$8.21 MX$143

-2.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 ₱311

$8.29 MX$144

-38.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 ₱825

$11.10 MX$193

21.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ₱180

$2.65 MX$46.14

11.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₱110

$1.50 MX$26.11

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 ₱85.7

$1.99 MX$34.59

-29.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 ₱72.3

$2.08 MX$36.13

-43.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ₱105

$1.79 MX$31.11

-3.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ₱83.2

$2.18 MX$37.87

-37.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱68.3

$1.08 MX$18.73

3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₱51.2

$1.04 MX$18.04

-19.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 ₱148

$3.97 MX$69.1

-39.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.22 ₱503

$10.20 MX$178

-19.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₱49.81

$1.73 MX$30.04

-53.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₱136

$2.50 MX$43.46

-10.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.45

$0.52 MX$9.02

-57.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.15 ₱1,110

$26.97 MX$469

-32.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₱41.43

$3.14 MX$54.7

-78.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₱16.65

$2.40 MX$41.80

-88.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₱133

$3.09 MX$53.7

-29.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₱67.9

$1.27 MX$22.16

-12.60%

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

$28.2K ₱1.7M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-8.53%

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

$17.9K ₱1.1M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-23.30%

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

$131 ₱7,995

$82.0 MX$1,427

59.33%

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

$11.04 ₱676

$22.45 MX$391

-50.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.26 ₱1,117

$29.66 MX$516

-38.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.90 ₱1,952

$51.9 MX$903

-38.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.36 ₱267

$18.67 MX$325

-76.65%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ₱450

$4.97 MX$86.5

47.89%

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

$151 ₱9,246

$198 MX$3,442

-23.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,274 ₱261.5K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-18.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.37 ₱2,837

$36.34 MX$632

27.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.81 ₱2,068

$40.05 MX$697

-15.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 ₱4,158

$79.9 MX$1,390

-14.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₱6,912

$88.9 MX$1,547

27.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$141 ₱8,654

$963 MX$16.8K

-85.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.7 ₱5,491

$465 MX$8,086

-80.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 ₱22.2K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-77.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$488 ₱29.9K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-59.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,511 ₱153.6K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-36.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $141 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $251 – 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 72%, 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 $1,120 per month in Subic Bay Freeport Zone and $1,930 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 $747 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% 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 $747, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.