Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tuguegarao and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Tuguegarao: $570 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

27

Cost of Living Index in Tuguegarao
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Tuguegarao Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Tuguegarao

🇵🇭 Philippines

$570

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tuguegarao and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tuguegarao and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $570 per month in Tuguegarao vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tuguegarao $570
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $909 per month in Tuguegarao vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tuguegarao $909
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1,249 per month in Tuguegarao vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tuguegarao $1,249
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Tuguegarao is about 53% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Tuguegarao and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tuguegarao 58% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 ₱101

$10.92 MX$204

-85.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.12 ₱1,030

$43.37 MX$808

-62.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.68 ₱171

$11.78 MX$220

-77.25%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ₱111

$3.81 MX$71.0

-54.33%

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

$0.42 ₱26.97

$1.28 MX$23.90

-67.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₱17.65

$0.78 MX$14.59

-64.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ₱65.1

$3.17 MX$59.0

-67.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₱97.5

$4.93 MX$92.0

-68.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ₱105

$1.41 MX$26.22

16.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 ₱73.4

$2.22 MX$41.33

-48.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ₱43.28

$1.42 MX$26.42

-52.11%

Eggs

$1.98 ₱126

$2.52 MX$47.03

-21.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.92 ₱314

$7.26 MX$135

-32.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 ₱209

$7.70 MX$143

-57.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 ₱508

$12.69 MX$237

-37.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 ₱141

$2.78 MX$51.9

-20.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱96.4

$1.37 MX$25.50

10.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ₱144

$2.55 MX$47.55

-11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₱65.0

$2.12 MX$39.58

-51.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ₱110

$1.94 MX$36.13

-11.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 ₱111

$1.89 MX$35.16

-7.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₱39.24

$1.15 MX$21.37

-46.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱31.17

$1.18 MX$21.98

-58.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.84 ₱117

$4.30 MX$80.1

-57.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.44 ₱539

$9.95 MX$185

-15.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 ₱61.5

$1.58 MX$29.52

-39.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₱129

$2.67 MX$49.79

-24.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₱15.16

$0.55 MX$10.31

-56.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.38 ₱855

$26.62 MX$496

-49.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 ₱47.83

$4.97 MX$92.6

-84.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱15.40

$3.33 MX$62.1

-92.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ₱117

$5.36 MX$99.8

-65.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ₱68.8

$1.44 MX$26.92

-25.00%

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

$21.3K ₱1.4M

$20.7K MX$385.2K

3.23%

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

$18.8K ₱1.2M

$23.5K MX$437.4K

-20.09%

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

$31.51 ₱2,013

$84.8 MX$1,581

-62.84%

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

$16.94 ₱1,082

$23.41 MX$436

-27.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.96 ₱1,467

$28.66 MX$534

-19.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.59 ₱2,018

$57.1 MX$1,063

-44.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.24 ₱335

$28.91 MX$539

-81.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 ₱316

$5.14 MX$95.8

-3.70%

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

$132 ₱8,409

$207 MX$3,851

-36.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₱682.3K

$3,927 MX$73.2K

171.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.57 ₱1,826

$43.35 MX$808

-34.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.15 ₱1,223

$41.44 MX$772

-53.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.08 ₱2,497

$74.2 MX$1,383

-47.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$23.29 ₱1,488

$89.3 MX$1,664

-73.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 ₱15.7K

$980 MX$18.3K

-74.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 ₱10.8K

$381 MX$7,099

-55.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ₱30.8K

$1,708 MX$31.8K

-71.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 ₱22.3K

$1,075 MX$20.0K

-67.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,480 ₱158.5K

$3,943 MX$73.5K

-37.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,104 ₱70.5K

$6,158 MX$114.8K

-82.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$201 ₱12.9K

$735 MX$13.7K

-72.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

11.45

-41.05%

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

Last update for Tuguegarao: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Tuguegarao

$170 29.8%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 49.7% $85

Accommodation & Living

Tuguegarao

$169 29.6%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 125% $212

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tuguegarao

$71 12.5%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 91.7% $65

Eating Out

Tuguegarao

$52 9.2%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 286% $150

Clothing & Footwear

Tuguegarao

$50 8.7%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 126% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Tuguegarao

$41 7.3%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 62.3% $26

Getting Around

Tuguegarao

$16 2.9%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 210% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $246 in Tuguegarao versus $980 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 in Playa del Carmen are about 3.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Tuguegarao versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $255 – making Tuguegarao the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Tuguegarao

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

06:29 6:29 AM

17:29 5:29 PM

13 h behind Tuguegarao

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

166,334

149,923

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.57 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

100 MXN = 5.36 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 63.89 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.13 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Tuguegarao Playa del Carmen 14,730 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Tuguegarao
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 111%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $856 per month in Tuguegarao and $1,806 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 Tuguegarao, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $246 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $570 in Tuguegarao and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Tuguegarao about 53% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Tuguegarao. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Tuguegarao, where all-in costs run around $570, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Tuguegarao it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tuguegarao – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Tuguegarao. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.