Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cancun and Caldas da Rainha

For one person, living is cheaper in Cancun: $1,398 a month against $1,526 in Caldas da Rainha, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Caldas da Rainha outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Cancun
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,398
/mo nomad
Caldas da Rainha
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,526
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cancun and in Caldas da Rainha

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cancun and in Caldas da Rainha actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,398 per month in Cancun vs $1,526 in Caldas da Rainha, rent included.

  • Cancun $1,398
  • Caldas da Rainha $1,526

A couple spends around $2,267 per month in Cancun vs $2,326 in Caldas da Rainha, rent included.

  • Cancun $2,267
  • Caldas da Rainha $2,326

A family of three spends $3,136 per month in Cancun vs $3,125 in Caldas da Rainha, rent included.

  • Cancun $3,136
  • Caldas da Rainha $3,125

Cancun is about 8% cheaper than Caldas da Rainha, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cancun and Caldas da Rainha sit above the global median – Cancun by 4%, Caldas da Rainha by 13%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cancun
Caldas da Rainha
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.84 MX$200
$15.26 €13.57
-28.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.8 MX$994
$49.32 €43.87
9.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.55 MX$213
$10.16 €9.04
13.68%
Cappuccino
$3.86 MX$71.4
$1.94 €1.73
98.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$24.78
$2.31 €2.06
-41.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 MX$15.57
$1.46 €1.30
-42.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$2.71 €2.41
12.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.13 MX$76.3
$4.01 €3.57
2.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cancun
Caldas da Rainha
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 MX$30.29
$1.06 €0.95
54.72%
White Bread (500g)
$2.58 MX$47.72
$1.37 €1.22
88.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 MX$31.12
$1.54 €1.37
9.09%
Eggs
$2.80 MX$51.7
$2.90 €2.58
-3.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.89 MX$183
$10.36 €9.21
-4.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.81 MX$163
$7.26 €6.46
21.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.21 MX$263
$12.66 €11.26
12.24%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 MX$54.1
$1.88 €1.67
55.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 MX$30.88
$1.37 €1.22
21.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.01 MX$55.5
$1.75 €1.56
72.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$40.55
$2.43 €2.16
-9.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$35.91
$1.96 €1.74
-1.02%
Onion (1kg)
$1.96 MX$36.26
$1.87 €1.66
4.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.23
$1.24 €1.10
-7.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 MX$22.51
$0.80 €0.71
52.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.34 MX$80.3
$5.60 €4.98
-22.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.03 MX$185
$3.93 €3.49
155.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.38
$1.72 €1.53
-7.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 MX$51.8
$1.62 €1.45
72.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Cancun
Caldas da Rainha
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.68 MX$12.66
$3.56 €3.16
-80.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.10 MX$538
$33.00 €29.35
-11.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.33 MX$79.9
$2.76 €2.46
56.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.82 MX$52.1
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.71 MX$253
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.28
$1.98 €1.76
-22.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K MX$394.3K
$33.6K €29.9K
-36.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$439.8K
$37.3K €33.2K
-36.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cancun
Caldas da Rainha
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 MX$3,149
$106 €94.7
60.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.44 MX$433
$17.60 €15.66
33.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.92 MX$719
$38.91 €34.61
0.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cancun
Caldas da Rainha
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.26 MX$596
$49.41 €43.95
-34.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.21 MX$244
$28.16 €25.05
-53.09%
Cinema Ticket
$7.29 MX$135
$8.71 €7.75
-16.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cancun
Caldas da Rainha
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$204 MX$3,761
$408 €363
-50.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,396 MX$99.7K
$5,552 €4,938
-2.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cancun
Caldas da Rainha
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.1 MX$999
$94.2 €83.8
-42.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.3 MX$1,021
$42.01 €37.37
31.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.0 MX$1,368
$111 €99.0
-33.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.0 MX$1,737
$68.1 €60.6
37.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cancun
Caldas da Rainha
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$660 MX$12.2K
$910 €810
-27.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$457 MX$8,445
$663 €590
-31.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,404 MX$26.0K
$1,398 €1,244
0.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,059 MX$19.6K
$1,144 €1,017
-7.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,266 MX$23.4K
$2,845 €2,530
-55.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,945 MX$35.9K
$2,271 €2,020
-14.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cancun
Caldas da Rainha
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$801 MX$14.8K
$1,144 €1,018
-29.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
3.11
268.17%

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

Last update for Cancun: October 13, 2026

Last update for Caldas da Rainha: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cancun
$457
Caldas da Rainha
$663 45.2% $206
Groceries & Markets
Cancun
$287
Caldas da Rainha
$228 20.5% $59
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cancun
$233
Caldas da Rainha
$163 30% $70
Eating Out
Cancun
$200
Caldas da Rainha
$213 6.3% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Cancun
$125
Caldas da Rainha
$142 13.8% $17
Getting Around
Cancun
$50
Caldas da Rainha
$50 * 0.5% $0.3
Sport & Entertainment
Cancun
$47
Caldas da Rainha
$67 42.7% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $660 in Cancun versus $910 in Caldas da Rainha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 43% higher in Caldas da Rainha, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Cancun versus $49.00 in Caldas da Rainha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $228 – making Caldas da Rainha the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Cancun
🇵🇹 Caldas da Rainha
🕒 Local time
15:00 3:00 PM
21:00 9:00 PM
6 h ahead of Cancun
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
888,797
50,917
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.78 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cancun Caldas da Rainha 7,510 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cancun
  • Caldas da Rainha

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Cancun vs Caldas da Rainha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Caldas da Rainha cheaper than Cancun?
Yes – Caldas da Rainha is pricier by about 9%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,098 per month in Cancun and $2,289 in Caldas da Rainha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cancun, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Cancun or in Caldas da Rainha?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Cancun and $49.00 in Caldas da Rainha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Cancun and in Caldas da Rainha?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,398 in Cancun and $1,526 in Caldas da Rainha. That's a gap of about 9%.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Cancun or in Caldas da Rainha?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cancun, where all-in costs run around $1,398, than in Caldas da Rainha at $1,526. In Cancun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caldas da Rainha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cancun or Caldas da Rainha more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cancun – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Cancun or Caldas da Rainha?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cancun. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Caldas da Rainha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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