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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $697 in Cahul versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,101 in Cahul versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,505 in Cahul versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 46% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cahul 48% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.63 MDL 148

$11.73 MX$203

-26.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.47 MDL 627

$41.62 MX$720

-12.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 129

$10.64 MX$184

-29.23%

Cappuccino

$1.88 MDL 32.31

$3.52 MX$60.9

-46.59%

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

$0.98 MDL 16.93

$1.51 MX$26.12

-35.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 MDL 11.73

$0.97 MX$16.84

-29.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 MDL 30.60

$2.95 MX$51.0

-39.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MDL 39.87

$4.45 MX$77.0

-47.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.13

$1.38 MX$23.93

-6.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.96

$1.89 MX$32.72

-72.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 24.88

$1.64 MX$28.32

-11.59%

Eggs

$2.59 MDL 44.56

$2.51 MX$43.34

3.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 MDL 180

$8.34 MX$144

25.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 MDL 95.3

$8.34 MX$144

-33.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.04 MDL 155

$10.73 MX$186

-15.75%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.55

$2.60 MX$45.04

-65.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.30

$1.46 MX$25.20

24.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 MDL 29.66

$1.90 MX$32.87

-8.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MDL 36.73

$2.08 MX$35.91

2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.20

$1.78 MX$30.71

-53.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.12

$2.19 MX$37.80

-73.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 MDL 23.25

$1.04 MX$17.99

29.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MDL 14.05

$1.08 MX$18.62

-24.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MDL 54.1

$4.08 MX$70.6

-22.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 MDL 81.7

$10.32 MX$178

-53.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MDL 21.62

$1.71 MX$29.61

-26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 MDL 34.10

$2.58 MX$44.54

-23.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 MDL 35.83

$3.26 MX$56.4

-36.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.67

$2.49 MX$43.09

-89.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 MDL 89.5

$3.25 MX$56.2

60.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MDL 24.32

$1.31 MX$22.61

7.63%

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

$31.7K MDL 544.5K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

4.62%

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

$31.3K MDL 538.5K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

33.71%

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

$173 MDL 2,969

$82.9 MX$1,433

108.41%

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

$7.41 MDL 127

$22.22 MX$384

-66.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.80 MDL 186

$29.34 MX$507

-63.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 MDL 129

$5.07 MX$87.6

47.73%

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

$384 MDL 6,606

$201 MX$3,473

91.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,544 MDL 129.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

44.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 MDL 1,128

$36.92 MX$639

77.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 MDL 937

$39.79 MX$688

36.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MDL 1,972

$78.5 MX$1,357

46.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MDL 2,113

$87.1 MX$1,506

41.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$523 MDL 8,999

$664 MX$11.5K

-21.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

11.42

-19.09%

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

Last update for Cahul: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 27% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Cahul vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $249 per month, with Cahul cheaper across the board.

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

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

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 86% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cahul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 27% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $697 per month in Cahul versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $697 in Cahul versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $697 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cahul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cahul and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cahul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.