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: $649 in Cahul versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $953 in Cahul versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,258 in Cahul versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 50% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cahul 53% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.89 MDL 153

$11.96 MX$203

-25.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.72 MDL 407

$47.38 MX$805

-49.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 MDL 186

$11.75 MX$200

-8.00%

Cappuccino

$1.69 MDL 29.04

$4.12 MX$70.1

-58.98%

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

$1.15 MDL 19.66

$1.40 MX$23.78

-17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 MDL 9.66

$0.91 MX$15.50

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 MDL 34.25

$3.21 MX$54.5

-37.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 MDL 32.59

$7.07 MX$120

-73.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 MDL 22.62

$1.68 MX$28.49

-21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MDL 8.04

$2.15 MX$36.53

-78.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MDL 28.21

$1.77 MX$30.14

-7.34%

Eggs

$2.25 MDL 38.65

$2.82 MX$47.83

-20.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 MDL 121

$9.20 MX$156

-23.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 MDL 81.7

$9.23 MX$157

-48.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 MDL 113

$12.64 MX$215

-48.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MDL 17.47

$2.95 MX$50.1

-65.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 MDL 40.90

$1.58 MX$26.83

50.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 MDL 33.04

$2.22 MX$37.76

-13.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MDL 42.11

$2.36 MX$40.15

3.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MDL 13.60

$1.99 MX$33.86

-60.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.24

$1.98 MX$33.63

-72.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 MDL 7.55

$1.24 MX$21.07

-64.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MDL 9.47

$1.21 MX$20.58

-54.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 MDL 58.0

$4.60 MX$78.2

-26.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.60 MDL 79.0

$10.52 MX$179

-56.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 MDL 24.55

$1.69 MX$28.74

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 MDL 34.48

$2.77 MX$47.13

-27.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 MDL 49.41

$5.24 MX$89.0

-45.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.28

$3.65 MX$62.0

-93.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 MDL 101

$5.78 MX$98.3

1.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MDL 26.35

$1.54 MX$26.13

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

$34.3K MDL 588.8K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

50.49%

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

$25.6K MDL 438.7K

$25.8K MX$438.5K

-0.97%

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

$236 MDL 4,050

$90.7 MX$1,540

160.32%

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

$8.07 MDL 139

$25.19 MX$428

-67.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.47 MDL 197

$31.75 MX$539

-63.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 MDL 133

$4.86 MX$82.6

59.05%

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

$116 MDL 1,998

$226 MX$3,834

-48.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,457 MDL 93.6K

$4,194 MX$71.2K

30.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.16 MDL 809

$47.38 MX$805

-0.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.1 MDL 980

$80.2 MX$1,363

-28.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.5 MDL 901

$91.4 MX$1,552

-42.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 MDL 9,054

$773 MX$13.1K

-31.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-30.13%

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

Last update for Cahul: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 47% 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: $24.00 in Cahul vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $278 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 101% 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, salaries run 47% lower in Playa del Carmen. 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 64% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $649 per month in Cahul versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $649 in Cahul versus $1,305 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 $649 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 101% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.