Cost of Living Comparison Between Cauayan City and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Cauayan City and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $725 per month in Cauayan City vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,099 per month in Cauayan City vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,473 per month in Cauayan City vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cauayan City is about 44% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cauayan City and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Cauayan City 47% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 ₱244

$11.96 MX$203

-67.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.58 ₱1,039

$47.38 MX$804

-65.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.89 ₱181

$11.75 MX$199

-75.40%

Cappuccino

$1.84 ₱115

$4.12 MX$70.0

-55.34%

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

$0.60 ₱37.82

$1.40 MX$23.74

-57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₱21.40

$0.91 MX$15.48

-62.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ₱61.3

$3.21 MX$54.4

-69.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₱99.5

$7.07 MX$120

-77.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ₱102

$1.68 MX$28.44

-2.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 ₱73.3

$2.15 MX$36.48

-45.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₱61.3

$1.77 MX$30.10

-44.63%

Eggs

$2.12 ₱133

$2.82 MX$47.76

-24.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.07 ₱318

$9.20 MX$156

-44.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 ₱220

$9.23 MX$157

-61.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.14 ₱510

$12.64 MX$214

-35.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₱145

$2.95 MX$50.1

-21.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.7

$1.58 MX$26.79

-2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ₱145

$2.22 MX$37.70

4.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 ₱67.3

$2.36 MX$40.09

-54.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 ₱109

$1.99 MX$33.81

-12.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 ₱109

$1.98 MX$33.58

-12.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₱38.42

$1.24 MX$21.04

-50.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₱33.53

$1.21 MX$20.55

-56.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$4.60 MX$78.1

-34.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.95 ₱561

$10.52 MX$178

-14.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ₱57.9

$1.69 MX$28.70

-45.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₱125

$2.77 MX$47.06

-27.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.63

$0.60 MX$10.22

-58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.35 ₱712

$29.70 MX$504

-61.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₱49.46

$5.24 MX$88.8

-84.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.70

$3.65 MX$61.9

-93.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ₱122

$5.78 MX$98.1

-66.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 ₱57.8

$1.54 MX$26.09

-40.26%

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

$21.7K ₱1.4M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-4.98%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-23.50%

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

$140 ₱8,755

$90.7 MX$1,538

54.03%

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

$10.73 ₱673

$25.19 MX$427

-57.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 ₱1,460

$31.75 MX$539

-26.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.52 ₱2,038

$68.8 MX$1,167

-52.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 ₱307

$29.37 MX$498

-83.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.32 ₱333

$4.86 MX$82.5

9.47%

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

$134 ₱8,389

$226 MX$3,828

-40.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K ₱682.7K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

159.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.78 ₱1,804

$47.38 MX$804

-39.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.30 ₱1,210

$43.45 MX$737

-55.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₱3,546

$80.2 MX$1,361

-29.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.6 ₱3,550

$91.4 MX$1,550

-38.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 ₱17.1K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-74.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 ₱10.7K

$409 MX$6,933

-58.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 ₱31.1K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-74.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₱22.2K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-72.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,645 ₱165.8K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-34.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,059 ₱66.4K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-84.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

11.45

-41.05%

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

Last update for Cauayan City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $273 in Cauayan City versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Cauayan City versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $278 – making Cauayan City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $725 in Cauayan City, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 80% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,087 per month in Cauayan City and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cauayan City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $134 per month in Cauayan City and $226 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cauayan City, where all-in costs run around $725, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Cauayan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $725 in Cauayan City to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Cauayan City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.