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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,414 in Cambridge, MA versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,700 in Cambridge, MA versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,986 in Cambridge, MA versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cambridge, MA is roughly 240% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge, MA is 229% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 $17.08

$11.73 MX$203

45.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.4 $98.4

$41.62 MX$720

136.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.10 $12.10

$10.64 MX$184

13.72%

Cappuccino

$5.51 $5.51

$3.52 MX$60.9

56.53%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$1.51 MX$26.12

103.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.97 MX$16.84

142.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$2.95 MX$51.0

175.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 $7.98

$4.45 MX$77.0

79.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.38 MX$23.93

-21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.89 MX$32.72

114.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.53 $6.53

$1.64 MX$28.32

298.17%

Eggs

$4.80 $4.80

$2.51 MX$43.34

91.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 $15.30

$8.34 MX$144

83.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.41 $13.41

$8.34 MX$144

60.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.86 $20.86

$10.73 MX$186

94.41%

Apples (1kg)

$6.86 $6.86

$2.60 MX$45.04

163.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.46 MX$25.20

28.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.36 $6.36

$1.90 MX$32.87

234.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$2.08 MX$35.91

202.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$1.78 MX$30.71

80.34%

Onion (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.19 MX$37.80

57.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.04 MX$17.99

130.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.08 MX$18.62

135.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.50 $13.50

$4.08 MX$70.6

230.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.45 $16.45

$10.32 MX$178

59.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.71 MX$29.61

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 $5.61

$2.58 MX$44.54

117.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 $2.41

$0.51 MX$8.81

372.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.8 $88.8

$26.46 MX$458

235.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.26 MX$56.4

-21.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.49 MX$43.09

-28.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.63 $27.63

$3.25 MX$56.2

750.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.31 MX$22.61

-29.77%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-0.82%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

7.86%

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

$157 $157

$82.9 MX$1,433

89.06%

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

$52.9 $52.9

$22.22 MX$384

137.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 $55.9

$29.34 MX$507

90.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 $101

$51.6 MX$893

94.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.11 $30.11

$18.32 MX$317

64.36%

Cinema Ticket

$15.36 $15.36

$5.07 MX$87.6

202.96%

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

$2,743 $2,743

$201 MX$3,473

1266.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.4K $27.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

426.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 $65.4

$36.92 MX$639

77.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.25 $44.25

$39.79 MX$688

11.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$78.5 MX$1,357

30.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$87.1 MX$1,506

66.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,888 $2,888

$973 MX$16.8K

197.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,827 $2,827

$468 MX$8,090

504.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,029 $5,029

$1,641 MX$28.4K

206.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,551 $3,551

$1,221 MX$21.1K

190.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 $5,085

$3,946 MX$68.3K

28.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,047 $5,047

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-22.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,341 $6,341

$664 MX$11.5K

855.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

11.42

-43.70%

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

Last update for Cambridge, MA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,888 in Cambridge, MA and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 855% 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: $98.0 in Cambridge, MA vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $484 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, MA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 240% lower than in Cambridge, MA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Cambridge, MA pays 855% 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: $2,888 in Cambridge, MA 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 94% higher in Cambridge, MA. 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 $98.0 in Cambridge, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,414 in Cambridge, MA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Cambridge, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,297 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cambridge, MA 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 240% less than in Cambridge, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.