Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayo Coco and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayo Coco and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Cayo Coco versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,705 in Cayo Coco versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,156 in Cayo Coco versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cayo Coco costs roughly 3% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cayo Coco 6% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.85 CUP 116

$11.94 MX$209

-59.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.79 CUP 355

$42.75 MX$748

-65.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 CUP 165

$10.59 MX$185

-35.03%

Cappuccino

$0.99 CUP 23.69

$3.62 MX$63.4

-72.65%

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

$1.96 CUP 46.97

$1.47 MX$25.69

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 CUP 23.66

$0.94 MX$16.51

5.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 CUP 48.77

$3.09 MX$54.1

-34.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 CUP 70.8

$4.46 MX$78.0

-33.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 CUP 73.1

$1.43 MX$24.94

113.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 CUP 24.67

$1.88 MX$32.97

-45.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 CUP 49.31

$1.63 MX$28.50

25.77%

Eggs

$3.57 CUP 85.7

$2.64 MX$46.26

35.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 CUP 148

$8.21 MX$144

-25.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 CUP 118

$8.29 MX$145

-40.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.88 CUP 237

$11.10 MX$194

-10.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 CUP 120

$2.65 MX$46.40

87.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 CUP 23.31

$1.50 MX$26.26

-35.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.44

$1.99 MX$34.79

-50.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 CUP 24.35

$2.08 MX$36.33

-51.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.37

$1.79 MX$31.29

-43.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 CUP 72.5

$2.18 MX$38.09

38.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 CUP 23.37

$1.08 MX$18.84

-10.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 CUP 23.32

$1.04 MX$18.15

-6.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 CUP 70.2

$3.97 MX$69.5

-26.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.08 CUP 242

$10.20 MX$179

-1.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CUP 46.77

$1.73 MX$30.22

12.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 CUP 49.22

$2.50 MX$43.71

-18.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.77 CUP 474

$26.97 MX$472

-26.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 CUP 24.36

$3.14 MX$55.0

-67.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 CUP 24.38

$2.40 MX$42.04

-57.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.66 CUP 472

$3.09 MX$54.0

536.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 CUP 23.44

$1.27 MX$22.28

-22.83%

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

$70.1K CUP 1.7M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

126.93%

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

$80.8K CUP 1.9M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

246.49%

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

$40.48 CUP 972

$82.0 MX$1,435

-50.64%

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

$40.55 CUP 973

$22.45 MX$393

80.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$219 CUP 5,256

$29.66 MX$519

638.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.38 CUP 969

$51.9 MX$908

-22.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.07 CUP 242

$18.67 MX$327

-46.06%

Cinema Ticket

$1.02 CUP 24.43

$4.97 MX$87.0

-79.48%

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

$91.5 CUP 2,196

$198 MX$3,462

-53.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K CUP 366.0K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

189.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.50 CUP 948

$36.34 MX$636

8.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.22 CUP 725

$40.05 MX$701

-24.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 CUP 1,789

$79.9 MX$1,398

-6.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 CUP 1,939

$88.9 MX$1,555

-9.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 CUP 9,499

$963 MX$16.9K

-58.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 CUP 10.2K

$465 MX$8,133

-8.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 CUP 25.1K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-34.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 CUP 14.8K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-48.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$296 CUP 7,114

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-92.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$352 CUP 8,454

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-94.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$20.16 CUP 484

$720 MX$12.6K

-97.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-12.43%

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

Last update for Cayo Coco: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $396 in Cayo Coco and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 3473% 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: $15.00 in Cayo Coco vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $251 per month, with Cayo Coco cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Cayo Coco wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cayo Coco the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 3473% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $396 in Cayo Coco versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cayo Coco runs roughly 36% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $91.5 in Cayo Coco versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,253 in Cayo Coco versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cayo Coco but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cayo Coco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cayo Coco delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,253 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cayo Coco hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Cayo Coco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.