Cost of Living Comparison Between Caye Caulker and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Caye Caulker and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,878 per month in Caye Caulker vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,698 per month in Caye Caulker vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,518 per month in Caye Caulker vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Caye Caulker costs about 50% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Caye Caulker sits 41% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.67 BZD 17.33

$11.99 MX$210

-27.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 BZD 65.7

$41.78 MX$733

-21.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 BZD 15.11

$10.75 MX$189

-29.67%

Cappuccino

$3.94 BZD 7.89

$3.50 MX$61.3

12.57%

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

$1.53 BZD 3.07

$1.45 MX$25.41

5.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 BZD 3.54

$0.88 MX$15.52

101.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 BZD 6.02

$2.95 MX$51.7

2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 BZD 8.86

$4.51 MX$79.1

-1.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.97 BZD 5.94

$1.43 MX$25.12

107.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 BZD 3.70

$1.84 MX$32.23

0.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 BZD 8.89

$1.57 MX$27.51

183.44%

Eggs

$4.19 BZD 8.38

$2.51 MX$44.06

66.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 BZD 22.30

$8.28 MX$145

34.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 BZD 15.63

$8.43 MX$148

-7.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.18 BZD 26.36

$10.68 MX$187

23.41%

Apples (1kg)

$8.09 BZD 16.19

$2.61 MX$45.76

209.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 BZD 2.26

$1.44 MX$25.22

-21.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 BZD 2.68

$1.96 MX$34.41

-31.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.87 BZD 5.75

$2.09 MX$36.74

37.32%

Potato (1kg)

$5.45 BZD 10.90

$1.85 MX$32.47

194.59%

Onion (1kg)

$4.54 BZD 9.08

$2.17 MX$38.02

109.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.21 BZD 6.42

$1.03 MX$18.09

211.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 BZD 3.42

$1.07 MX$18.84

59.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 BZD 8.92

$4.10 MX$72.0

8.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.62 BZD 45.25

$10.17 MX$178

122.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 BZD 4.56

$1.68 MX$29.38

35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 BZD 4.89

$2.53 MX$44.31

-3.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.95 BZD 9.91

$0.51 MX$8.93

870.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.86 BZD 45.72

$26.04 MX$457

-12.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 BZD 7.07

$3.23 MX$56.7

9.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.05 BZD 6.09

$2.41 MX$42.19

26.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 BZD 9.76

$3.23 MX$56.6

51.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.05 BZD 6.11

$1.32 MX$23.17

131.06%

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

$10.7K BZD 21.4K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-63.92%

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

$21.4K BZD 42.9K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-9.39%

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

$197 BZD 394

$82.0 MX$1,439

140.14%

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

$35.15 BZD 70.3

$22.95 MX$403

53.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.9 BZD 150

$30.11 MX$528

148.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.59 BZD 71.2

$52.0 MX$912

-31.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.13 BZD 28.27

$18.53 MX$325

-23.75%

Cinema Ticket

$11.91 BZD 23.83

$4.98 MX$87.3

139.16%

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

$197 MX$3,463

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.8 BZD 150

$35.60 MX$624

110.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 BZD 119

$40.33 MX$707

47.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$149 BZD 299

$78.8 MX$1,381

89.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.51 BZD 99.0

$88.9 MX$1,560

-44.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 BZD 1,973

$947 MX$16.6K

4.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 BZD 1,502

$474 MX$8,314

58.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 BZD 1,517

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-53.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,250 BZD 2,500

$1,211 MX$21.2K

3.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,026 BZD 4,052

$654 MX$11.5K

209.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Caye Caulker: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Caye Caulker versus $947 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.

Salaries run about 210% higher in Caye Caulker, 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 $33.00 in Caye Caulker versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $382 in Caye Caulker vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Caye Caulker costs about 50% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,817 per month in Caye Caulker and $1,884 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,878 in Caye Caulker and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Caye Caulker and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Caye Caulker at $1,878. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caye Caulker it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,256 versus $1,878 in Caye Caulker. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

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