Cost of Living Comparison Between Caboolture and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Caboolture and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,816 per month in Caboolture vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,621 per month in Caboolture vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,426 per month in Caboolture vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Caboolture costs about 44% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Caboolture sits 36% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 A$14.90

$11.72 MX$204

-11.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.80 A$64.4

$41.89 MX$731

6.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.73 A$13.97

$10.51 MX$183

-7.42%

Cappuccino

$2.84 A$4.08

$3.59 MX$62.5

-20.89%

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

$1.72 A$2.46

$1.51 MX$26.31

13.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 A$2.28

$0.92 MX$15.96

71.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.36 A$9.14

$2.96 MX$51.6

114.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 A$11.39

$4.41 MX$76.9

79.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 A$1.67

$1.40 MX$24.35

-17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 A$3.02

$1.88 MX$32.87

11.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 A$3.07

$1.56 MX$27.19

37.18%

Eggs

$4.21 A$6.05

$2.61 MX$45.50

61.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.24 A$10.40

$8.32 MX$145

-12.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 A$11.82

$8.35 MX$146

-1.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 A$16.26

$10.86 MX$189

4.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 A$4.18

$2.71 MX$47.31

7.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 A$3.65

$1.51 MX$26.25

68.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 A$5.35

$1.87 MX$32.67

98.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 A$5.56

$2.19 MX$38.19

76.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 A$3.09

$1.86 MX$32.40

15.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 A$2.52

$2.23 MX$38.90

-21.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 A$2.74

$1.07 MX$18.63

77.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 A$1.15

$1.09 MX$18.94

-26.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.26 A$37.71

$4.19 MX$73.0

526.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.73 A$19.72

$10.43 MX$182

31.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.65 A$5.24

$1.66 MX$28.91

119.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 A$9.75

$2.61 MX$45.56

160.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 A$4.31

$0.54 MX$9.45

455.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.5 A$75.4

$26.16 MX$456

100.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 A$2.87

$3.08 MX$53.7

-35.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 A$1.70

$2.40 MX$41.94

-50.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.53 A$45.29

$3.13 MX$54.5

907.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.70

$1.31 MX$22.87

-9.16%

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

$20.5K A$29.5K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-31.15%

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

$20.2K A$29.0K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

-13.35%

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

$203 A$292

$81.3 MX$1,418

150.32%

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

$11.21 A$16.10

$22.56 MX$393

-50.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.76 A$58.6

$30.05 MX$524

35.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.70 A$38.36

$52.9 MX$923

-49.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.20 A$37.63

$18.39 MX$321

42.47%

Cinema Ticket

$12.95 A$18.60

$4.92 MX$85.8

163.21%

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

$1,243 A$1,786

$201 MX$3,502

519.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,866 A$5,553

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-25.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.24 A$44.87

$35.92 MX$627

-13.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.46 A$68.2

$40.13 MX$700

18.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 A$123

$79.7 MX$1,390

7.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.0 A$96.2

$86.5 MX$1,508

-22.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 A$1,425

$978 MX$17.1K

1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$809 A$1,162

$470 MX$8,206

71.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 A$2,138

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-9.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,360 A$1,953

$1,203 MX$21.0K

13.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,423 A$9,225

$3,953 MX$69.0K

62.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,264 A$7,561

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-20.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,801 A$2,587

$677 MX$11.8K

166.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

11.42

-48.16%

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

Last update for Caboolture: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Caboolture versus $978 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 166% higher in Caboolture, 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 $45.00 in Caboolture versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $252 – 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

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

Caboolture costs about 44% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,725 per month in Caboolture and $1,890 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,243 per month in Caboolture and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Caboolture, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Caboolture at $1,816. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caboolture it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,260 versus $1,816 in Caboolture. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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