Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cabinda

For one person, living is cheaper in Cabinda: $74.8 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Cabinda, Angola
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Cabinda
🇦🇴 Angola
$74.8
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Cabinda

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Cabinda actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $75 in Cabinda, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Cabinda $75

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,603 in Cabinda, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Cabinda $1,603

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,131 in Cabinda, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Cabinda $3,131

Playa del Carmen costs about 1510% more than Cabinda, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cabinda are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Cabinda 95% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Cabinda
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$7.54 AOA 6,887
44.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$815
$40.54 AOA 37.0K
6.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.6
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.10
$0.97 AOA 886
31.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.71
$1.66 AOA 1,518
-53.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$1.95 AOA 1,779
152.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Cabinda
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.43
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.66
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.64
-
-
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.41
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$137
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$145
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$239
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.71
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.94
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.90
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.43
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.44
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.55
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.16
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.7
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.76
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.2
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Cabinda
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.40
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.4
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.6
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.14
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.4K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$441.0K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Cabinda
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,594
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$440
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$539
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Cabinda
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,072
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.6
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Cabinda
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,882
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Cabinda
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$815
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$779
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,394
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,677
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Cabinda
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$637 AOA 581.5K
53.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,157
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$2,769 AOA 2.5M
-61.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Cabinda
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
0
-

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Cabinda: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Cabinda
–
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Cabinda
–
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Cabinda
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Cabinda
–
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Cabinda
–
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Cabinda
–
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Cabinda
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $637 in Cabinda. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $41 in Cabinda. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇦🇴 Cabinda
🕒 Local time
05:42 5:42 AM
11:42 11:42 AM
6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
377,931
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AOA, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.97 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Angolan Kwanza exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 913 AOA (1,000 AOA = 1.1 USD). 1 EUR = 1,019 AOA (10,000 AOA = 9.82 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Cabinda 11,190 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Cabinda

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Playa del Carmen vs Cabinda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cabinda cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 1510%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $112 in Cabinda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cabinda, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $637 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Cabinda?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $75 in Cabinda. That makes Cabinda about 94% cheaper.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Cabinda?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen and $41 in Cabinda. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Cabinda?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cabinda, where all-in costs run around $75, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Cabinda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Cabinda?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $75 in Cabinda to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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