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: $2,217 in Cambridge versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,973 in Cambridge versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,729 in Cambridge versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cambridge is roughly 77% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge is 66% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.40 NZ$22.93

$11.99 MX$210

11.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.88 NZ$61.4

$41.78 MX$731

-14.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 NZ$15.77

$10.75 MX$188

-14.23%

Cappuccino

$3.05 NZ$5.23

$3.50 MX$61.1

-12.86%

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

$2.38 NZ$4.08

$1.45 MX$25.33

64.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 NZ$3.81

$0.88 MX$15.47

153.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 NZ$8.46

$2.95 MX$51.6

67.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.21 NZ$10.62

$4.51 MX$78.9

37.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 NZ$2.86

$1.43 MX$25.04

16.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 NZ$2.90

$1.84 MX$32.13

-7.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.26

$1.57 MX$27.42

21.66%

Eggs

$6.27 NZ$10.73

$2.51 MX$43.92

149.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 NZ$14.31

$8.28 MX$145

1.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 NZ$15.43

$8.43 MX$147

7.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.17 NZ$20.83

$10.68 MX$187

13.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.16

$2.61 MX$45.62

-6.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.12

$1.44 MX$25.15

26.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$4.00

$1.96 MX$34.31

19.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 NZ$5.23

$2.09 MX$36.62

46.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 NZ$3.69

$1.85 MX$32.37

16.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 NZ$3.03

$2.17 MX$37.90

-18.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 NZ$3.47

$1.03 MX$18.04

97.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.11

$1.07 MX$18.78

15.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.04 NZ$34.29

$4.10 MX$71.7

388.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 NZ$17.41

$10.17 MX$178

0.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NZ$4.31

$1.68 MX$29.29

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 NZ$4.49

$2.53 MX$44.17

3.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 NZ$5.28

$0.51 MX$8.90

505.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.7 NZ$111

$26.04 MX$455

148.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 NZ$4.54

$3.23 MX$56.5

-17.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 NZ$3.30

$2.41 MX$42.06

-19.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.76 NZ$59.5

$3.23 MX$56.5

976.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$1.32 MX$23.10

31.06%

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

$27.6K NZ$47.3K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-6.95%

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

$22.9K NZ$39.2K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

-3.08%

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

$110 NZ$189

$82.0 MX$1,434

34.73%

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

$37.70 NZ$64.5

$22.95 MX$401

64.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.46 NZ$67.5

$30.11 MX$527

31.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.48 NZ$64.1

$52.0 MX$909

-27.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.19 NZ$20.86

$18.53 MX$324

-34.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.08 NZ$15.53

$4.98 MX$87.0

82.33%

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

$757 NZ$1,296

$197 MX$3,452

283.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K NZ$20.8K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

127.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.8 NZ$167

$35.60 MX$622

174.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 NZ$97.9

$40.33 MX$705

41.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 NZ$177

$78.8 MX$1,377

31.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 NZ$216

$88.9 MX$1,555

41.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 NZ$1,633

$947 MX$16.6K

0.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 NZ$2,060

$474 MX$8,288

153.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,081 NZ$3,560

$1,644 MX$28.7K

26.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 NZ$2,727

$1,211 MX$21.2K

31.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,784 NZ$8,185

$4,056 MX$70.9K

17.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,307 NZ$5,657

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-48.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,610 NZ$4,465

$654 MX$11.4K

299.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-47.46%

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

Last update for Cambridge: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $954 in Cambridge and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 299% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $249, 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 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 299% 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: $954 in Cambridge versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,217 per month in Cambridge versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 77% 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 148% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,217 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 77% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.