Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Caboolture and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,935 in Caboolture, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Caboolture, Australia
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Caboolture
🇦🇺 Australia
$1,935
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Caboolture 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 Caboolture and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,935 per month in Caboolture vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Caboolture $1,935
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $2,832 per month in Caboolture vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Caboolture $2,832
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $3,728 per month in Caboolture vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Caboolture $3,728
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Caboolture costs about 61% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Caboolture sits 42% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Caboolture
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.79 A$15.29
$10.92 MX$203
-1.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.52 A$70.2
$43.37 MX$808
14.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.71 A$15.18
$11.78 MX$219
-9.08%
Cappuccino
$2.82 A$4.00
$3.81 MX$71.0
-25.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 A$2.60
$1.28 MX$23.89
42.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 A$2.20
$0.78 MX$14.58
98.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.17 A$10.16
$3.17 MX$59.0
126.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.66 A$10.85
$4.93 MX$91.9
55.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Caboolture
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 A$1.77
$1.41 MX$26.20
-11.35%
White Bread (500g)
$2.06 A$2.92
$2.22 MX$41.30
-7.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.97 A$2.79
$1.42 MX$26.40
38.73%
Eggs
$4.14 A$5.86
$2.52 MX$47.00
64.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.67 A$12.28
$7.26 MX$135
19.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.40 A$13.32
$7.70 MX$143
22.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.58 A$17.82
$12.69 MX$236
-0.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.06 A$4.34
$2.78 MX$51.9
10.07%
Banana (1kg)
$2.64 A$3.73
$1.37 MX$25.49
92.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.50 A$4.96
$2.55 MX$47.52
37.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.27 A$6.05
$2.12 MX$39.55
101.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.95 A$2.76
$1.94 MX$36.11
0.52%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 A$2.58
$1.89 MX$35.13
-3.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.08 A$2.95
$1.15 MX$21.36
80.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.93 A$1.32
$1.18 MX$21.96
-21.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$29.84 A$42.27
$4.30 MX$80.0
593.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.19 A$20.10
$9.95 MX$185
42.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.95 A$5.60
$1.58 MX$29.50
150.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.82 A$9.66
$2.67 MX$49.76
155.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Caboolture
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.62 A$2.29
$0.55 MX$10.31
194.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$82.6 A$117
$26.62 MX$496
210.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.13 A$3.01
$4.97 MX$92.6
-57.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.11 A$1.57
$3.33 MX$62.1
-66.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.32 A$48.62
$5.36 MX$99.8
540.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 A$1.87
$1.44 MX$26.90
-8.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.5K A$34.8K
$20.7K MX$385.0K
18.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K A$36.3K
$23.5K MX$437.2K
9.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Caboolture
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$179 A$254
$84.8 MX$1,580
111.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.76 A$16.66
$23.41 MX$436
-49.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.18 A$69.7
$28.66 MX$534
71.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Caboolture
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.54 A$31.94
$57.1 MX$1,063
-60.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.03 A$25.54
$28.91 MX$539
-37.63%
Cinema Ticket
$13.43 A$19.02
$5.14 MX$95.7
161.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Caboolture
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,737 A$2,461
$207 MX$3,848
741.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,239 A$6,006
$3,927 MX$73.2K
7.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Caboolture
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$34.16 A$48.39
$43.35 MX$808
-21.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.8 A$73.4
$41.44 MX$772
25.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 A$140
$74.2 MX$1,382
33.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.0 A$105
$89.3 MX$1,663
-17.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Caboolture
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,064 A$1,508
$980 MX$18.2K
8.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$890 A$1,261
$381 MX$7,095
133.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,542 A$2,184
$1,708 MX$31.8K
-9.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,494 A$2,117
$1,075 MX$20.0K
39.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,973 A$8,461
$3,943 MX$73.5K
51.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,192 A$7,355
$6,158 MX$114.7K
-15.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Caboolture
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,819 A$2,577
$735 MX$13.7K
147.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.69
11.45
-50.31%

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

Last update for Caboolture: October 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Caboolture
$890
Playa del Carmen
$381 57.2% $509
Groceries & Markets
Caboolture
$326
Playa del Carmen
$255 21.7% $71
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Caboolture
$240
Playa del Carmen
$137 43% $103
Eating Out
Caboolture
$217
Playa del Carmen
$202 6.8% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Caboolture
$116
Playa del Carmen
$112 4.1% $4.8
Getting Around
Caboolture
$97
Playa del Carmen
$50 47.9% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Caboolture
$49
Playa del Carmen
$67 36.3% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,064 in Caboolture 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 Caboolture are about 2.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Caboolture versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Caboolture
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
18:18 6:18 PM
03:18 3:18 AM
15 h behind Caboolture
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
29,534
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.706 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 AUD (1 AUD = 0.633 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.63 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.79 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Caboolture Playa del Carmen 13,920 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Caboolture
  • 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
Caboolture vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Caboolture or Playa del Carmen?
Caboolture costs about 61% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Caboolture and in Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,903 per month in Caboolture and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Caboolture compared to Playa del Carmen?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,064 in Caboolture and $980 in Playa del Carmen. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
How do childcare costs compare in Caboolture and in Playa del Carmen?
Kindergarten costs $1,737 per month in Caboolture and $207 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Caboolture or in Playa del Carmen?
Groceries cost about 28% more in Caboolture, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Caboolture or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Caboolture at $1,935. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caboolture it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Caboolture or to Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Caboolture makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Caboolture vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?