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: $801 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,322 in Caraguatatuba versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,843 in Caraguatatuba versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Caraguatatuba costs roughly 38% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Caraguatatuba 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.44 R$37.89

$11.71 MX$199

-36.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.26 R$139

$46.59 MX$791

-41.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 R$42.72

$11.65 MX$198

-27.98%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R$11.41

$4.09 MX$69.5

-45.23%

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

$1.17 R$5.97

$1.37 MX$23.34

-14.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 R$4.35

$0.83 MX$14.16

2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 R$12.02

$3.35 MX$56.9

-29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 R$16.08

$6.91 MX$117

-54.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R$4.88

$1.73 MX$29.33

-44.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 R$8.04

$2.26 MX$38.39

-30.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 R$6.86

$1.77 MX$30.05

-23.73%

Eggs

$1.85 R$9.41

$2.73 MX$46.41

-32.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.69 R$28.96

$9.18 MX$156

-38.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 R$15.78

$8.92 MX$151

-65.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 R$40.04

$12.60 MX$214

-37.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 R$10.15

$3.02 MX$51.3

-34.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.21

$1.57 MX$26.68

15.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.26

$2.13 MX$36.10

-32.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.58

$2.26 MX$38.46

-34.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.22

$2.00 MX$34.04

-39.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 R$3.83

$2.06 MX$35.06

-63.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 R$3.61

$1.18 MX$20.04

-39.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 R$3.82

$1.20 MX$20.45

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 R$10.05

$4.63 MX$78.7

-57.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.90 R$35.14

$10.69 MX$182

-35.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 R$7.47

$1.62 MX$27.50

-9.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 R$12.42

$2.88 MX$48.93

-15.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.82

$0.57 MX$9.74

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.37 R$114

$29.83 MX$507

-25.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 R$5.51

$5.45 MX$92.5

-80.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 R$3.39

$3.70 MX$62.9

-81.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 R$17.44

$5.98 MX$102

-42.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R$6.16

$1.55 MX$26.38

-21.94%

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

$14.8K R$75.5K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

-33.64%

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

$29.0K R$147.5K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

11.58%

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

$64.5 R$329

$89.1 MX$1,514

-27.62%

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

$12.56 R$64.0

$25.04 MX$425

-49.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.36 R$114

$31.50 MX$535

-29.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.97 R$107

$67.8 MX$1,151

-69.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.62 R$79.6

$28.92 MX$491

-45.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.66 R$39.00

$5.05 MX$85.8

51.68%

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

$209 R$1,063

$225 MX$3,820

-7.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,097 R$20.9K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

-2.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 R$284

$47.44 MX$806

17.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 R$276

$44.98 MX$764

20.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 R$382

$82.0 MX$1,392

-8.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.0 R$290

$92.1 MX$1,564

-38.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 R$2,062

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-62.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 R$1,140

$405 MX$6,884

-44.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 R$4,213

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-57.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 R$2,625

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-60.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,588 R$8,088

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-60.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,106 R$5,634

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-83.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$322 R$1,638

$749 MX$12.7K

-57.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.15

11.45

-28.82%

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

Last update for Caraguatatuba: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Caraguatatuba and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 133% 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: $27.00 in Caraguatatuba vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $277 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 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 133% 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: $405 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% 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 $27.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $801 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,293 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 62% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.