😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,197 in Cayenne versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,650 in Cayenne versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,102 in Cayenne versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Living in Cayenne is roughly 71% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Cayenne is 64% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Cayenne
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.56€9.04
$11.94MX$209
-11.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$117€99.9
$42.75MX$748
172.96%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.32€8.84
$10.59MX$185
-2.55%
Cappuccino
$3.20€2.74
$3.62MX$63.4
-11.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09€2.64
$1.47MX$25.69
110.20%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42€2.07
$0.94MX$16.51
157.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.57€3.05
$3.09MX$54.1
15.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.57€3.91
$4.46MX$78.0
2.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cayenne
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$3.13€2.68
$1.43MX$24.94
118.88%
White Bread(500g)
$4.10€3.51
$1.88MX$32.97
118.09%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.04€2.60
$1.63MX$28.50
86.50%
Eggs
$8.47€7.25
$2.64MX$46.26
220.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$29.36€25.13
$8.21MX$144
257.61%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$16.77€14.35
$8.29MX$145
102.29%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$30.63€26.22
$11.10MX$194
175.95%
Apples(1kg)
$5.82€4.98
$2.65MX$46.40
119.62%
Banana(1kg)
$4.81€4.12
$1.50MX$26.26
220.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.35€4.58
$1.99MX$34.79
168.84%
Tomato(1kg)
$10.15€8.69
$2.08MX$36.33
387.98%
Potato(1kg)
$4.81€4.12
$1.79MX$31.29
168.72%
Onion(1kg)
$5.62€4.81
$2.18MX$38.09
157.80%
Lettuce(1 head)
$4.11€3.52
$1.08MX$18.84
280.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.79€1.53
$1.04MX$18.15
72.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.44€8.08
$3.97MX$69.5
137.78%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.09€6.93
$10.20MX$179
-20.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.84€2.43
$1.73MX$30.22
64.16%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33€2.00
$2.50MX$43.71
-6.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Cayenne
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.30€1.97
$0.52MX$9.07
342.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$35.00€29.96
$26.97MX$472
29.77%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.82€4.99
$3.14MX$55.0
85.35%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.76€3.21
$2.40MX$42.04
56.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.22€7.03
$3.09MX$54.0
166.02%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.22€1.90
$1.27MX$22.28
74.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K€29.2K
$30.9KMX$540.4K
10.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$45.6K€39.1K
$23.3KMX$408.0K
95.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cayenne
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$196€168
$82.0MX$1,435
138.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$47.10€40.32
$22.45MX$393
109.80%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.5€61.2
$29.66MX$519
141.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cayenne
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.05€35.14
$51.9MX$908
-20.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.36€25.13
$18.67MX$327
57.26%
Cinema Ticket
$12.00€10.27
$4.97MX$87.0
141.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cayenne
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$699€598
$198MX$3,462
253.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$351€301
$5,273MX$92.3K
-93.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cayenne
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.7€69.9
$36.34MX$636
124.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.63€39.06
$40.05MX$701
13.93%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$108€92.2
$79.9MX$1,398
34.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103€88.5
$88.9MX$1,555
16.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cayenne
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$927€794
$963MX$16.9K
-3.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$826€707
$465MX$8,133
77.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,612€1,380
$1,596MX$27.9K
1.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,605€1,374
$1,209MX$21.2K
32.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,294€2,820
$3,942MX$69.0K
-16.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,637€3,113
$6,448MX$112.8K
-43.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cayenne
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,355€2,016
$720MX$12.6K
226.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.53
11.42
-69.09%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Cayenne: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $927 in Cayenne and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Cayenne pays 227% 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: $117 in Cayenne vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $611 vs $251 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Cayenne vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Cayenne?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cayenne or Playa del Carmen?
Cayenne pays 227% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Cayenne and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $927 in Cayenne versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Cayenne or Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $117 in Cayenne. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Cayenne vs Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $2,197 per month in Cayenne versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Cayenne or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,197 in Cayenne, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Cayenne. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cayenne or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cayenne, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Cayenne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Cayenne vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado