Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cabo Frio Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cabo Frio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $659 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,083 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,507 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 92% more than Cabo Frio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cabo Frio are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Cabo Frio 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$5.68 R$29.20

104.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$28.69 R$148

64.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.66 R$34.27

78.38%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$1.65 R$8.50

141.21%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.33 R$6.86

7.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.51 R$2.60

60.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.20 R$6.16

165.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.92 R$9.89

253.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$0.80 R$4.10

110.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.53 R$7.89

43.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.75 R$3.84

128.00%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.54 R$7.89

77.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.97 R$40.97

20.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.30 R$16.95

173.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$9.26 R$47.62

38.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.84 R$9.46

57.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.15 R$5.93

30.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$0.94 R$4.84

128.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.19 R$6.11

89.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.63 R$3.23

214.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.82 R$4.22

142.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.56 R$2.90

119.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.60 R$3.08

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$1.55 R$7.95

193.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$5.79 R$29.75

79.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$0.99 R$5.10

63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.34 R$6.90

114.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$1.34 R$6.88

-55.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$78.2 R$402

-63.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$1.27 R$6.55

324.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.74 R$3.79

404.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$7.70 R$39.57

-25.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.20 R$6.19

28.33%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$20.6K R$106.0K

9.42%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$30.0K R$154.2K

-13.12%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$57.8 R$297

58.07%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$7.45 R$38.28

238.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$13.16 R$67.7

137.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$21.06 R$108

219.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$4.60 R$23.65

5.65%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$141 R$722

59.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$2,574 R$13.2K

64.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$45.23 R$233

4.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$38.66 R$199

14.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$54.4 R$280

47.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$45.85 R$236

102.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$430 R$2,211

147.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$115 R$591

239.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$649 R$3,337

231.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$272 R$1,398

367.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$276 R$1,418

174.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.67

7.31%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Cabo Frio: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $430 in Cabo Frio. 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 175% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Cabo Frio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $159 – making Cabo Frio the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cabo Frio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 92%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $989 in Cabo Frio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cabo Frio, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $659 in Cabo Frio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 172% less in Cabo Frio. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cabo Frio, where all-in costs run around $659, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Cabo Frio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cabo Frio – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cabo Frio. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.