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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Caguas vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,568 per month in Caguas vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,515 per month in Caguas vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Caguas costs about 25% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Caguas sits 18% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 $14.82

$11.71 MX$199

26.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.7 $84.7

$46.59 MX$792

81.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 $8.59

$11.65 MX$198

-26.27%

Cappuccino

$2.32 $2.32

$4.09 MX$69.6

-43.28%

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

$1.12 $1.12

$1.37 MX$23.35

-18.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.83 MX$14.17

40.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 $1.47

$3.35 MX$57.0

-56.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$6.91 MX$117

-43.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.73 MX$29.35

27.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.26 MX$38.41

21.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.77 MX$30.07

31.07%

Eggs

$5.01 $5.01

$2.73 MX$46.43

83.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.96 $6.96

$9.18 MX$156

-24.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.11 $9.11

$8.92 MX$152

2.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.95 $11.95

$12.60 MX$214

-5.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$3.02 MX$51.3

66.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.57 MX$26.69

63.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.13 MX$36.12

11.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.26 MX$38.48

93.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.00 MX$34.05

24.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.06 MX$35.08

31.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.18 MX$20.05

101.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.20 MX$20.46

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.53 $10.53

$4.63 MX$78.8

127.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 $14.11

$10.69 MX$182

31.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.62 MX$27.52

-10.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.88 MX$48.96

-20.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.57 MX$9.74

245.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.6 $69.6

$29.83 MX$507

133.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 $2.45

$5.45 MX$92.6

-55.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$3.70 MX$63.0

-58.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.64 $41.64

$5.98 MX$102

596.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.55 MX$26.40

-40.00%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$22.3K MX$379.4K

32.69%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.9K MX$441.0K

0.40%

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

$188 $188

$89.1 MX$1,515

111.21%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$25.04 MX$426

140.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 $55.9

$31.50 MX$535

77.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.25 $35.25

$67.8 MX$1,152

-47.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.09 $49.09

$28.92 MX$491

69.74%

Cinema Ticket

$9.80 $9.80

$5.05 MX$85.8

94.06%

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

$296 $296

$225 MX$3,823

31.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K $12.7K

$4,222 MX$71.8K

200.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.80 $25.80

$47.44 MX$806

-45.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.71 $35.71

$44.98 MX$764

-20.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 $79.8

$82.0 MX$1,393

-2.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$92.1 MX$1,565

22.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 $752

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-29.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 $516

$405 MX$6,888

27.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 $1,092

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-43.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$994 $994

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-23.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,404 $2,404

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-39.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$868 $868

$6,626 MX$112.6K

-86.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,066 $3,066

$749 MX$12.7K

309.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

11.45

-57.64%

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

Last update for Caguas: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $752 in Caguas 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 309% higher in Caguas, 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 $85.0 in Caguas versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 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

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

Caguas costs about 25% 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 $2,432 per month in Caguas and $1,940 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Caguas and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,621 in Caguas and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Caguas at $1,621. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caguas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,293 versus $1,621 in Caguas. 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, Caguas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.