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: $1,932 in Cambridge versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,869 in Cambridge versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,807 in Cambridge versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 49% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge is 41% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.74 NZ$25.01

$11.71 MX$199

25.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 NZ$60.8

$46.59 MX$792

-23.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 NZ$15.28

$11.65 MX$198

-22.66%

Cappuccino

$3.00 NZ$5.09

$4.09 MX$69.6

-26.65%

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

$2.15 NZ$3.65

$1.37 MX$23.35

56.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.08

$0.83 MX$14.17

118.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.79 NZ$8.12

$3.35 MX$57.0

42.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 NZ$12.37

$6.91 MX$117

5.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.79

$1.73 MX$29.35

-5.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 NZ$4.07

$2.26 MX$38.41

6.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.31

$1.77 MX$30.07

10.17%

Eggs

$6.21 NZ$10.54

$2.73 MX$46.43

127.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.66 NZ$14.70

$9.18 MX$156

-5.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 NZ$17.15

$8.92 MX$152

13.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 NZ$22.65

$12.60 MX$214

5.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 NZ$4.54

$3.02 MX$51.3

-11.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 NZ$3.75

$1.57 MX$26.69

40.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 NZ$4.08

$2.13 MX$36.12

12.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 NZ$4.93

$2.26 MX$38.48

28.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 NZ$3.96

$2.00 MX$34.05

16.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$2.95

$2.06 MX$35.08

-15.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 NZ$3.61

$1.18 MX$20.05

80.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 NZ$1.94

$1.20 MX$20.46

-4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.59 NZ$48.50

$4.63 MX$78.8

517.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 NZ$17.92

$10.69 MX$182

-1.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 NZ$5.04

$1.62 MX$27.52

83.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 NZ$6.26

$2.88 MX$48.96

28.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 NZ$3.05

$0.57 MX$9.74

215.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 NZ$170

$29.83 MX$507

235.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 NZ$4.10

$5.45 MX$92.6

-55.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 NZ$3.44

$3.70 MX$63.0

-45.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.94 NZ$57.6

$5.98 MX$102

467.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.87

$1.55 MX$26.40

9.03%

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

$27.1K NZ$46.0K

$22.3K MX$379.4K

21.45%

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

$23.9K NZ$40.6K

$25.9K MX$441.0K

-7.83%

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

$107 NZ$182

$89.1 MX$1,515

20.49%

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

$28.06 NZ$47.59

$25.04 MX$426

12.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.72 NZ$64.0

$31.50 MX$535

19.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.20 NZ$61.4

$67.8 MX$1,152

-46.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$13.98 NZ$23.71

$5.05 MX$85.8

176.83%

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

$1,201 NZ$2,038

$225 MX$3,823

434.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NZ$35.7K

$4,222 MX$71.8K

397.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.6 NZ$140

$47.44 MX$806

74.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.87 NZ$76.1

$44.98 MX$764

-0.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 NZ$152

$82.0 MX$1,393

9.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 NZ$204

$92.1 MX$1,565

30.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 NZ$1,638

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-9.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 NZ$1,463

$405 MX$6,888

112.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 NZ$2,814

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-14.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 NZ$2,572

$1,301 MX$22.1K

16.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,087 NZ$8,628

$3,995 MX$67.9K

27.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,412 NZ$5,787

$6,626 MX$112.6K

-48.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,704 NZ$4,586

$749 MX$12.7K

261.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

11.45

-52.93%

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

Last update for Cambridge: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $966 in Cambridge and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 261% 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 Cambridge vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $317 vs $277, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 261% higher in Cambridge, 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: $966 in Cambridge versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,932 per month in Cambridge versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 235% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,932 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.

Safety-wise, Cambridge 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 49% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.