Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayey and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayey and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,268 in Cayey versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,508 in Cayey versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,749 in Cayey versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cayey is roughly 78% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cayey is 69% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.66 $18.66

$11.87 MX$204

57.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$42.90 MX$736

87.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 $9.40

$10.65 MX$183

-11.74%

Cappuccino

$3.52 $3.52

$3.45 MX$59.2

2.03%

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

$1.71 $1.71

$1.50 MX$25.81

14.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.95 MX$16.28

52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.03 MX$51.9

0.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 $4.46

$4.61 MX$79.1

-3.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.38 MX$23.61

81.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.85 MX$31.70

84.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.61 MX$27.65

39.13%

Eggs

$5.92 $5.92

$2.59 MX$44.51

128.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.00 $9.00

$8.26 MX$142

8.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 $8.35

$8.37 MX$144

-0.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.59 $12.59

$10.66 MX$183

18.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.63 MX$45.12

120.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.49 MX$25.53

84.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$1.92 MX$32.94

108.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$2.09 MX$35.81

99.04%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.86 MX$31.88

116.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.26 MX$38.81

29.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.06 MX$18.23

186.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.09 MX$18.67

76.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.95 $11.95

$4.15 MX$71.2

187.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.51 $15.51

$10.39 MX$178

49.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.72 MX$29.59

44.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.61 MX$44.85

24.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.51 MX$43.09

-39.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.10 $15.10

$3.15 MX$54.1

379.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.27 MX$21.88

-22.05%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

19.65%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

12.12%

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

$482 $482

$83.0 MX$1,425

480.90%

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

$80.1 $80.1

$22.71 MX$390

252.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$29.46 MX$506

148.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$11.80 $11.80

$4.93 MX$84.5

139.35%

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

$466 $466

$197 MX$3,386

136.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K $10.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

99.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.63 $46.63

$36.90 MX$633

26.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 $56.3

$39.89 MX$685

41.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$80.0 MX$1,373

12.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$89.5 MX$1,536

18.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 $1,195

$956 MX$16.4K

25.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 $794

$477 MX$8,189

66.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,768 $1,768

$1,646 MX$28.3K

7.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 $1,818

$1,225 MX$21.0K

48.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,700 $3,700

$667 MX$11.4K

454.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

11.42

-50.00%

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

Last update for Cayey: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,195 in Cayey and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cayey pays 455% 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: $80.0 in Cayey vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $250 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Cayey and Playa del Carmen differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($2,268 vs $1,271 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Cayey pays 455% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,195 in Cayey versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $466 in Cayey versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $80.0 in Cayey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,268 in Cayey, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Cayey. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Cayey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.