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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $751 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,215 in Caraguatatuba versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,678 in Caraguatatuba versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Caraguatatuba costs roughly 40% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Caraguatatuba 44% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.66 R$34.02

$11.99 MX$210

-44.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.36 R$135

$41.78 MX$733

-36.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.83 R$34.92

$10.75 MX$189

-36.47%

Cappuccino

$1.75 R$8.95

$3.50 MX$61.3

-50.00%

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

$1.06 R$5.40

$1.45 MX$25.41

-26.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.28

$0.88 MX$15.52

-4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.32

$2.95 MX$51.7

-38.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 R$14.62

$4.51 MX$79.1

-36.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R$4.91

$1.43 MX$25.12

-32.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 R$7.50

$1.84 MX$32.23

-20.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.07

$1.57 MX$27.51

-24.20%

Eggs

$1.69 R$8.66

$2.51 MX$44.06

-32.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.43 R$27.77

$8.28 MX$145

-34.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 R$15.07

$8.43 MX$148

-65.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.41 R$37.85

$10.68 MX$187

-30.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R$9.88

$2.61 MX$45.76

-26.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.52

$1.44 MX$25.22

15.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.82

$1.96 MX$34.41

-32.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 R$8.64

$2.09 MX$36.74

-19.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.85

$1.85 MX$32.47

-38.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 R$3.81

$2.17 MX$38.02

-65.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 R$3.13

$1.03 MX$18.09

-40.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 R$3.51

$1.07 MX$18.84

-35.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 R$9.12

$4.10 MX$72.0

-56.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 R$34.36

$10.17 MX$178

-33.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R$6.74

$1.68 MX$29.38

-21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 R$10.23

$2.53 MX$44.31

-20.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 R$4.47

$0.51 MX$8.93

70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.96 R$107

$26.04 MX$457

-19.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.39

$3.23 MX$56.7

-67.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 R$2.96

$2.41 MX$42.19

-75.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 R$16.07

$3.23 MX$56.6

-2.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.45

$1.32 MX$23.17

-18.94%

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

$13.8K R$70.4K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-53.60%

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

$26.2K R$133.7K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

10.52%

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

$51.3 R$262

$82.0 MX$1,439

-37.43%

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

$11.91 R$60.9

$22.95 MX$403

-48.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.56 R$105

$30.11 MX$528

-31.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.37 R$99.0

$52.0 MX$912

-62.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 R$72.3

$18.53 MX$325

-23.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 R$37.77

$4.98 MX$87.3

48.39%

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

$200 R$1,020

$197 MX$3,463

1.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,854 R$19.7K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-27.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 R$259

$35.60 MX$624

42.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 R$284

$40.33 MX$707

37.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.6 R$366

$78.8 MX$1,381

-9.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.6 R$274

$88.9 MX$1,560

-39.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 R$1,894

$947 MX$16.6K

-60.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 R$1,055

$474 MX$8,314

-56.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 R$3,959

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-52.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 R$2,462

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-60.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,629 R$8,327

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-59.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,131 R$5,782

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-82.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$327 R$1,672

$654 MX$11.5K

-49.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.15

11.42

-28.63%

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

Last update for Caraguatatuba: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Caraguatatuba and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 100% 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: $26.00 in Caraguatatuba vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 vs $249 per month, with Caraguatatuba 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

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

Caraguatatuba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 100% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $371 in Caraguatatuba versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Caraguatatuba – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $751 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Caraguatatuba but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Caraguatatuba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Caraguatatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.