Cost of Living Comparison Between Cam Pha and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Cam Pha and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $731 in Cam Pha versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,158 in Cam Pha versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,585 in Cam Pha versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cam Pha costs roughly 42% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cam Pha 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ₫50.9K

$11.72 MX$203

-83.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.93 ₫708.0K

$41.89 MX$725

-35.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.29 ₫112.8K

$10.51 MX$182

-59.18%

Cappuccino

$1.86 ₫48.8K

$3.59 MX$62.0

-48.19%

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

$0.45 ₫11.9K

$1.51 MX$26.10

-70.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₫7,171

$0.92 MX$15.83

-70.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ₫26.4K

$2.96 MX$51.2

-66.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₫50.0K

$4.41 MX$76.3

-56.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 ₫35.9K

$1.40 MX$24.16

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ₫25.7K

$1.88 MX$32.60

-47.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ₫22.4K

$1.56 MX$26.97

-45.51%

Eggs

$1.57 ₫41.3K

$2.61 MX$45.14

-39.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 ₫233.3K

$8.32 MX$144

6.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ₫99.0K

$8.35 MX$145

-54.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.39 ₫247.0K

$10.86 MX$188

-13.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ₫85.0K

$2.71 MX$46.93

19.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.8K

$1.51 MX$26.04

-29.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ₫42.0K

$1.87 MX$32.41

-14.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.1K

$2.19 MX$37.89

-51.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.2K

$1.86 MX$32.14

-42.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ₫27.9K

$2.23 MX$38.59

-52.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ₫13.6K

$1.07 MX$18.48

-51.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₫13.8K

$1.09 MX$18.79

-51.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 ₫36.2K

$4.19 MX$72.4

-67.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 ₫354.6K

$10.43 MX$180

29.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₫25.1K

$1.66 MX$28.68

-42.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₫46.1K

$2.61 MX$45.19

-32.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₫8,369

$0.54 MX$9.37

-40.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.64 ₫174.6K

$26.16 MX$453

-74.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₫20.5K

$3.08 MX$53.3

-74.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₫16.0K

$2.40 MX$41.61

-74.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 ₫42.4K

$3.13 MX$54.1

-48.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ₫23.5K

$1.31 MX$22.69

-31.30%

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

$38.4K ₫1.0B

$29.8K MX$515.7K

28.71%

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

$32.3K ₫849.5M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

38.54%

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

$79.8 ₫2.1M

$81.3 MX$1,406

-1.83%

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

$5.37 ₫141.1K

$22.56 MX$390

-76.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.71 ₫229.0K

$30.05 MX$520

-71.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.63 ₫568.7K

$52.9 MX$915

-59.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.44 ₫195.6K

$18.39 MX$318

-59.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 ₫103.4K

$4.92 MX$85.1

-20.12%

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

$265 ₫7.0M

$201 MX$3,474

31.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K ₫311.5M

$5,175 MX$89.5K

128.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.16 ₫1.2M

$35.92 MX$622

22.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.30 ₫612.7K

$40.13 MX$694

-41.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 ₫2.3M

$79.7 MX$1,379

10.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 ₫1.9M

$86.5 MX$1,496

-17.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 ₫9.5M

$978 MX$16.9K

-63.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 ₫6.4M

$470 MX$8,140

-48.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 ₫18.0M

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-58.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 ₫12.2M

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-61.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,539 ₫66.8M

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-35.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,413 ₫37.2M

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-78.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

11.42

-20.32%

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

Last update for Cam Pha: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Cam Pha and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Cam Pha vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $252 per month, with Cam Pha 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

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

Cam Pha wins on cost – living expenses run 72% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cam Pha the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,096 in Cam Pha and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $360 in Cam Pha versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cam Pha runs roughly 294% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $265 in Cam Pha versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $731 in Cam Pha versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cam Pha but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cam Pha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cam Pha delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $731 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cam Pha hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cam Pha 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 Cam Pha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.