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 $1,993 per month in Caboolture vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,859 per month in Caboolture vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,725 per month in Caboolture vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Caboolture costs about 53% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Caboolture sits 45% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 A$15.75

$11.96 MX$203

-5.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.63 A$69.2

$47.38 MX$804

4.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.71 A$14.93

$11.75 MX$199

-8.85%

Cappuccino

$2.84 A$3.96

$4.12 MX$70.0

-31.07%

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

$1.81 A$2.53

$1.40 MX$23.74

29.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 A$2.19

$0.91 MX$15.48

72.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 A$10.26

$3.21 MX$54.4

129.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 A$11.19

$7.07 MX$120

13.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 A$1.69

$1.68 MX$28.44

-27.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 A$2.97

$2.15 MX$36.48

-0.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 A$2.76

$1.77 MX$30.10

11.86%

Eggs

$4.45 A$6.20

$2.82 MX$47.76

57.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.16 A$12.77

$9.20 MX$156

-0.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 A$13.22

$9.23 MX$157

2.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.56 A$17.51

$12.64 MX$214

-0.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 A$4.46

$2.95 MX$50.1

8.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 A$3.71

$1.58 MX$26.79

68.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 A$4.78

$2.22 MX$37.70

54.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.30 A$5.99

$2.36 MX$40.09

82.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 A$2.79

$1.99 MX$33.81

0.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 A$2.68

$1.98 MX$33.58

-3.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 A$2.91

$1.24 MX$21.04

68.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 A$1.30

$1.21 MX$20.55

-23.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.53 A$42.57

$4.60 MX$78.1

563.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.49 A$20.20

$10.52 MX$178

37.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.14 A$5.77

$1.69 MX$28.70

144.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 A$9.87

$2.77 MX$47.06

155.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 A$2.19

$0.60 MX$10.22

161.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.6 A$121

$29.70 MX$504

191.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 A$3.08

$5.24 MX$88.8

-57.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 A$1.62

$3.65 MX$61.9

-68.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.23 A$47.73

$5.78 MX$98.1

492.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 A$1.77

$1.54 MX$26.09

-17.53%

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

$25.5K A$35.5K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

11.69%

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

$25.5K A$35.5K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-1.39%

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

$181 A$253

$90.7 MX$1,538

100.06%

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

$12.09 A$16.86

$25.19 MX$427

-52.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.78 A$69.4

$31.75 MX$539

56.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.71 A$33.05

$68.8 MX$1,167

-65.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 A$25.52

$29.37 MX$498

-37.66%

Cinema Ticket

$14.19 A$19.78

$4.86 MX$82.5

191.98%

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

$1,820 A$2,537

$226 MX$3,828

706.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,356 A$6,073

$4,194 MX$71.1K

3.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.81 A$48.53

$47.38 MX$804

-26.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 A$76.1

$43.45 MX$737

25.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 A$138

$80.2 MX$1,361

23.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.8 A$107

$91.4 MX$1,550

-15.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 A$1,549

$1,086 MX$18.4K

2.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$897 A$1,251

$409 MX$6,933

119.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 A$2,150

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-21.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,479 A$2,062

$1,281 MX$21.7K

15.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,735 A$9,390

$4,046 MX$68.6K

66.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,122 A$7,141

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-23.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,863 A$2,597

$773 MX$13.1K

140.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.73

11.45

-49.96%

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

Last update for Caboolture: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,111 in Caboolture versus $1,086 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 141% 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 $50.0 in Caboolture versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $278 – 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 53% 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 $2,989 per month in Caboolture and $1,958 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 $1,820 per month in Caboolture and $226 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 20% 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 $1,305, than in Caboolture at $1,993. 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 $1,305 versus $1,993 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.