😐A single person spends $1,846 per month in Cagliari vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,836 per month in Cagliari vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,826 per month in Cagliari vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
😐Cagliari costs about 43% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Cagliari sits 34% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cagliari
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.87€19.66
$11.71MX$198
95.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.3€77.6
$46.59MX$788
93.80%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.68€10.05
$11.65MX$197
0.26%
Cappuccino
$2.07€1.78
$4.09MX$69.2
-49.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.28€2.82
$1.37MX$23.23
139.42%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57€1.35
$0.83MX$14.09
89.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.97€5.13
$3.35MX$56.7
78.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55€3.92
$6.91MX$117
-34.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cagliari
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.61€1.38
$1.73MX$29.20
-6.94%
White Bread(500g)
$2.68€2.31
$2.26MX$38.21
18.58%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.91€2.50
$1.77MX$29.91
64.41%
Eggs
$3.75€3.22
$2.73MX$46.19
37.36%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.98€17.17
$9.18MX$155
117.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.44€10.69
$8.92MX$151
39.46%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$21.87€18.80
$12.60MX$213
73.57%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61€2.25
$3.02MX$51.1
-13.58%
Banana(1kg)
$1.94€1.66
$1.57MX$26.55
23.57%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.35€2.02
$2.13MX$35.93
10.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.76€3.23
$2.26MX$38.28
66.37%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04€1.76
$2.00MX$33.88
2.00%
Onion(1kg)
$2.44€2.10
$2.06MX$34.90
18.45%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.52€1.30
$1.18MX$19.94
28.81%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69€0.59
$1.20MX$20.35
-42.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.66€6.58
$4.63MX$78.4
65.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.24€7.08
$10.69MX$181
-22.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68€1.44
$1.62MX$27.38
3.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81€1.56
$2.88MX$48.70
-37.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Cagliari
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.52€1.31
$0.57MX$9.69
166.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$40.16€34.52
$29.83MX$504
34.63%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$9.76€8.39
$5.45MX$92.1
79.08%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.53€1.32
$3.70MX$62.6
-58.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$31.90€27.43
$5.98MX$101
433.44%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.14€1.84
$1.55MX$26.26
38.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K€32.8K
$22.3KMX$377.4K
70.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.3K€32.1K
$25.9KMX$438.7K
43.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cagliari
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$163€140
$89.1MX$1,507
82.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.06€7.79
$25.04MX$423
-63.82%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.83€27.36
$31.50MX$532
1.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cagliari
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.6€46.12
$67.8MX$1,146
-20.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.50€21.92
$28.92MX$489
-11.83%
Cinema Ticket
$11.63€10.00
$5.05MX$85.4
130.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cagliari
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$539€463
$225MX$3,803
139.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,288€7,126
$4,222MX$71.4K
96.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cagliari
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.4€84.6
$47.44MX$802
107.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.27€41.50
$44.98MX$760
7.31%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$97.1€83.5
$82.0MX$1,386
18.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126€109
$92.1MX$1,557
37.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cagliari
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$882€758
$1,069MX$18.1K
-17.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$665€571
$405MX$6,852
63.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,402€1,205
$1,935MX$32.7K
-27.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,069€919
$1,301MX$22.0K
-17.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,389€2,914
$3,995MX$67.5K
-15.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,437€2,095
$6,626MX$112.0K
-63.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cagliari
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,845€1,586
$749MX$12.7K
146.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.27
11.45
-71.44%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cagliari: August 30, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $882 in Cagliari versus $1,069 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 146% higher in Cagliari, 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 $90.0 in Cagliari versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $277 – 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
Cagliari vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Cagliari?
Yes – Cagliari is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,769 per month in Cagliari and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 35% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $539 per month in Cagliari and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cagliari or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Cagliari at $1,846. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cagliari it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cagliari or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Cagliari or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cagliari makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.