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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,314 per month in Cabo Rojo vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,915 per month in Cabo Rojo vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,516 per month in Cabo Rojo vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cabo Rojo costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Cabo Rojo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Cabo Rojo 2% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.05 $10.05

$11.94 MX$209

-15.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 $79.5

$42.75 MX$748

85.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.05 $9.05

$10.59 MX$185

-14.54%

Cappuccino

$3.66 $3.66

$3.62 MX$63.4

1.10%

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

$1.78 $1.78

$1.47 MX$25.69

21.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.94 MX$16.51

52.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 $1.46

$3.09 MX$54.1

-52.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$4.46 MX$78.0

-23.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.43 MX$24.94

2.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.88 MX$32.97

3.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.63 MX$28.50

38.04%

Eggs

$2.36 $2.36

$2.64 MX$46.26

-10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.00 $9.00

$8.21 MX$144

9.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.65 $8.65

$8.29 MX$145

4.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 $12.87

$11.10 MX$194

15.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$2.65 MX$46.40

124.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.50 MX$26.26

77.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.99 MX$34.79

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.08 MX$36.33

97.60%

Potato (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$1.79 MX$31.29

121.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.18 MX$38.09

34.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.08 MX$18.84

178.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.04 MX$18.15

-4.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.92 $11.92

$3.97 MX$69.5

200.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.44 $15.44

$10.20 MX$179

51.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.73 MX$30.22

-19.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.50 MX$43.71

-18.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.40 MX$42.04

-39.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.98 $14.98

$3.09 MX$54.0

384.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.27 MX$22.28

-37.80%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

18.71%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

12.19%

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

$482 $482

$82.0 MX$1,435

487.60%

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

$64.8 $64.8

$22.45 MX$393

188.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.6 $74.6

$29.66 MX$519

151.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$12.19 $12.19

$4.97 MX$87.0

145.27%

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

$462 $462

$198 MX$3,462

133.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K $10.2K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

93.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.61 $45.61

$36.34 MX$636

25.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 $56.8

$40.05 MX$701

41.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$79.9 MX$1,398

14.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$88.9 MX$1,555

18.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 $1,836

$1,596 MX$27.9K

14.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,255 $4,255

$720 MX$12.6K

490.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

11.42

-50.00%

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

Last update for Cabo Rojo: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 491% higher in Cabo Rojo, 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 $79.0 in Cabo Rojo versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $251 – 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

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

Cabo Rojo costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,971 per month in Cabo Rojo and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,314 in Cabo Rojo and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $462 per month in Cabo Rojo and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Cabo Rojo at $1,314. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cabo Rojo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,287 versus $1,314 in Cabo Rojo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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