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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,479 in Cambridge versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,553 in Cambridge versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,628 in Cambridge versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 91% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge is 85% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.44 CA$20.08

$11.73 MX$203

23.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 CA$91.0

$41.62 MX$719

57.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.54 CA$13.27

$10.64 MX$184

-10.34%

Cappuccino

$3.53 CA$4.91

$3.52 MX$60.8

0.28%

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

$2.20 CA$3.06

$1.51 MX$26.09

45.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.27

$0.97 MX$16.82

68.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 CA$8.27

$2.95 MX$51.0

101.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 CA$9.31

$4.45 MX$77.0

50.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.95

$1.38 MX$23.90

53.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 CA$3.11

$1.89 MX$32.69

17.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$1.64 MX$28.29

79.88%

Eggs

$3.09 CA$4.29

$2.51 MX$43.30

23.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 CA$11.41

$8.34 MX$144

-1.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.67 CA$16.23

$8.34 MX$144

39.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.43

$10.73 MX$185

30.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.26

$2.60 MX$45.00

45.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 CA$1.67

$1.46 MX$25.18

-17.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.16

$1.90 MX$32.84

95.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.18

$2.08 MX$35.88

78.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$1.78 MX$30.68

51.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.47

$2.19 MX$37.76

13.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 CA$2.98

$1.04 MX$17.97

105.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.28

$1.08 MX$18.60

51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.68 CA$19.03

$4.08 MX$70.5

235.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 CA$17.73

$10.32 MX$178

23.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.44

$1.71 MX$29.59

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 CA$4.47

$2.58 MX$44.50

24.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.51 CA$3.49

$0.51 MX$8.81

392.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.6 CA$95.4

$26.46 MX$457

159.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 CA$3.51

$3.26 MX$56.4

-22.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 CA$2.42

$2.49 MX$43.05

-30.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.06 CA$33.46

$3.25 MX$56.1

640.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.59

$1.31 MX$22.59

-12.98%

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

$25.0K CA$34.7K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-17.54%

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

$20.2K CA$28.1K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-13.79%

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

$154 CA$214

$82.9 MX$1,432

85.87%

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

$38.79 CA$54.0

$22.22 MX$384

74.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 CA$76.8

$29.34 MX$507

88.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.12 CA$41.89

$51.6 MX$892

-41.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 CA$16.16

$5.07 MX$87.5

129.19%

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

$561 CA$780

$201 MX$3,470

179.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K CA$14.1K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

94.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 CA$78.7

$36.92 MX$638

53.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 CA$48.20

$39.79 MX$688

-12.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 CA$97.7

$78.5 MX$1,356

-10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$155

$87.1 MX$1,505

27.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,411 CA$1,963

$973 MX$16.8K

45.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 CA$1,916

$468 MX$8,082

194.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,702 CA$3,757

$1,641 MX$28.4K

64.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,106 CA$2,929

$1,221 MX$21.1K

72.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,307 CA$5,990

$3,946 MX$68.2K

9.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,927 CA$5,461

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-39.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,989 CA$4,157

$664 MX$11.5K

350.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

11.42

-41.86%

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

Last update for Cambridge: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,411 in Cambridge and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 350% 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: $65.0 in Cambridge vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $338 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cambridge pays 350% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,411 in Cambridge versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Cambridge. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $65.0 in Cambridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,479 in Cambridge, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.