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 $1,894 per month in Caye Caulker vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,733 per month in Caye Caulker vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,572 per month in Caye Caulker vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Caye Caulker costs about 46% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Caye Caulker sits 41% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.64 BZD 17.27

$11.73 MX$203

-26.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.35 BZD 66.7

$41.62 MX$720

-19.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 BZD 14.54

$10.64 MX$184

-31.67%

Cappuccino

$3.97 BZD 7.95

$3.52 MX$60.9

12.78%

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

$1.52 BZD 3.04

$1.51 MX$26.12

0.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 BZD 3.54

$0.97 MX$16.84

82.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 BZD 6.02

$2.95 MX$51.0

2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 BZD 9.14

$4.45 MX$77.0

2.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.08 BZD 6.17

$1.38 MX$23.93

123.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 BZD 3.69

$1.89 MX$32.72

-2.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 BZD 9.01

$1.64 MX$28.32

174.39%

Eggs

$4.22 BZD 8.45

$2.51 MX$43.34

68.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 BZD 22.47

$8.34 MX$144

34.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 BZD 15.08

$8.34 MX$144

-9.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.97 BZD 25.94

$10.73 MX$186

20.88%

Apples (1kg)

$8.40 BZD 16.81

$2.60 MX$45.04

223.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 BZD 2.15

$1.46 MX$25.20

-26.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 BZD 2.82

$1.90 MX$32.87

-25.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 BZD 5.92

$2.08 MX$35.91

42.31%

Potato (1kg)

$5.41 BZD 10.83

$1.78 MX$30.71

203.93%

Onion (1kg)

$4.35 BZD 8.70

$2.19 MX$37.80

98.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.09 BZD 6.19

$1.04 MX$17.99

197.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 BZD 3.42

$1.08 MX$18.62

58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 BZD 9.15

$4.08 MX$70.6

12.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.92 BZD 45.84

$10.32 MX$178

122.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 BZD 4.39

$1.71 MX$29.61

28.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 BZD 4.86

$2.58 MX$44.54

-5.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.90 BZD 9.81

$0.51 MX$8.81

860.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.50 BZD 45.01

$26.46 MX$458

-14.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 BZD 6.86

$3.26 MX$56.4

5.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 BZD 6.39

$2.49 MX$43.09

28.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 BZD 9.83

$3.25 MX$56.2

51.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.95 BZD 5.90

$1.31 MX$22.61

125.19%

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

$10.3K BZD 20.7K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-65.82%

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

$21.4K BZD 42.9K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-8.54%

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

$200 BZD 401

$82.9 MX$1,433

141.74%

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

$35.50 BZD 71.0

$22.22 MX$384

59.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.0 BZD 148

$29.34 MX$507

152.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.30 BZD 68.6

$51.6 MX$893

-33.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.24 BZD 28.49

$18.32 MX$317

-22.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 BZD 23.27

$5.07 MX$87.6

129.39%

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 BZD 150

$36.92 MX$639

102.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 BZD 118

$39.79 MX$688

48.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$152 BZD 303

$78.5 MX$1,357

93.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.27 BZD 98.6

$87.1 MX$1,506

-43.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 BZD 2,017

$973 MX$16.8K

3.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 BZD 1,519

$468 MX$8,090

62.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$772 BZD 1,545

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-52.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 BZD 2,524

$1,221 MX$21.1K

3.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,977 BZD 3,954

$664 MX$11.5K

197.76%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,008 in Caye Caulker versus $973 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 198% 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 – $383 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 46% 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 $2,841 per month in Caye Caulker and $1,945 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 $1,894 in Caye Caulker and $1,297 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 $1,297, than in Caye Caulker at $1,894. 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 $1,297 versus $1,894 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.