Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabo Frio and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabo Frio and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $825 per month in Cabo Frio vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,305 per month in Cabo Frio vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,784 per month in Cabo Frio vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cabo Frio is about 36% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cabo Frio and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Cabo Frio 38% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.28 R$36.27

$11.94 MX$208

-39.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.95 R$144

$42.75 MX$744

-32.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 R$30.45

$10.59 MX$184

-42.30%

Cappuccino

$1.95 R$9.71

$3.62 MX$63.0

-46.13%

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

$1.32 R$6.55

$1.47 MX$25.54

-10.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.82

$0.94 MX$16.41

-39.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.08

$3.09 MX$53.8

-41.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 R$13.85

$4.46 MX$77.6

-37.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.61

$1.43 MX$24.80

-20.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 R$8.78

$1.88 MX$32.79

-6.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.08

$1.63 MX$28.34

-12.88%

Eggs

$1.96 R$9.78

$2.64 MX$45.99

-25.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 R$38.79

$8.21 MX$143

-5.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 R$18.08

$8.29 MX$144

-56.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.91 R$39.40

$11.10 MX$193

-28.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 R$11.43

$2.65 MX$46.14

-13.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.11

$1.50 MX$26.11

8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.53

$1.99 MX$34.59

-24.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.77

$2.08 MX$36.13

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.42

$1.79 MX$31.11

-27.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.79

$2.18 MX$37.87

-46.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.39

$1.08 MX$18.73

-37.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.80

$1.04 MX$18.04

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 R$9.75

$3.97 MX$69.1

-50.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 R$39.73

$10.20 MX$178

-21.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.03

$1.73 MX$30.04

-30.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.21

$2.50 MX$43.46

-18.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 R$5.62

$0.52 MX$9.02

117.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.22 R$190

$26.97 MX$469

41.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R$5.58

$3.14 MX$54.7

-64.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.44

$2.40 MX$41.80

-71.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 R$36.81

$3.09 MX$53.7

139.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.55

$1.27 MX$22.16

-11.81%

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

$20.2K R$100.8K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-34.46%

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

$27.1K R$135.1K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

16.36%

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

$101 R$504

$82.0 MX$1,427

23.40%

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

$12.15 R$60.5

$22.45 MX$391

-45.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.81 R$93.7

$29.66 MX$516

-36.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.65 R$113

$51.9 MX$903

-56.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.66 R$108

$18.67 MX$325

16.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 R$32.97

$4.97 MX$86.5

33.20%

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

$546 R$2,721

$198 MX$3,442

176.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K R$57.7K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

119.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.47 R$221

$36.34 MX$632

22.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.94 R$204

$40.05 MX$697

2.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 R$383

$79.9 MX$1,390

-3.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$309

$88.9 MX$1,547

-30.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 R$1,585

$963 MX$16.8K

-66.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 R$1,093

$465 MX$8,086

-52.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 R$2,901

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-63.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 R$2,098

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-65.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 R$1,395

$720 MX$12.5K

-61.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

11.42

-0.79%

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

Last update for Cabo Frio: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $318 in Cabo Frio 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.

Salaries run about 157% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $29.00 in Cabo Frio versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $251 – making Cabo Frio 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 56%, 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 $1,238 per month in Cabo Frio 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 Cabo Frio, 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 $825 in Cabo Frio 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 42% less in Cabo Frio. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cabo Frio, where all-in costs run around $825, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Cabo Frio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cabo Frio – 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 Cabo Frio. 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.