Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cachoeira do Sul Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cachoeira do Sul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $810 in Cachoeira do Sul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,276 in Cachoeira do Sul, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,741 in Cachoeira do Sul, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 64% more than Cachoeira do Sul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cachoeira do Sul are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Cachoeira do Sul 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$4.66 R$24.19

179.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$19.43 R$101

138.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$6.60 R$34.28

90.76%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.52 R$13.09

58.73%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$1.38 R$7.15

2.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$1.00 R$5.20

-19.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$2.37 R$12.33

28.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$2.85 R$14.81

139.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$0.84 R$4.35

103.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$0.71 R$3.67

212.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.92 R$4.79

86.96%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.73 R$8.98

56.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$7.47 R$38.77

25.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$4.53 R$23.51

95.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$7.35 R$38.16

73.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$2.38 R$12.35

31.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$0.70 R$3.64

121.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$0.46 R$2.41

367.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$0.89 R$4.62

164.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.93 R$4.82

117.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.08 R$5.60

84.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.88 R$4.55

40.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.36 R$1.89

230.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$1.57 R$8.14

196.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$5.70 R$29.59

83.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$0.91 R$4.74

73.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$1.67 R$8.67

74.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$1.21 R$6.28

-53.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$44.87 R$233

-33.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$1.27 R$6.59

318.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.81 R$4.21

359.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$8.14 R$42.29

-28.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.00 R$5.22

55.00%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$22.6K R$117.6K

-1.21%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$32.8K R$170.3K

-22.03%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$72.2 R$375

23.59%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$11.98 R$62.2

94.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$20.57 R$107

54.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$24.62 R$128

179.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$23.73 R$123

23.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$6.97 R$36.19

-27.40%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$284 R$1,477

-21.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$6,895 R$35.8K

-37.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$49.77 R$258

-7.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$57.4 R$298

-22.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$98.7 R$513

-3.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$72.3 R$375

28.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$346 R$1,797

208.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$226 R$1,174

73.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$628 R$3,261

216.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$430 R$2,231

203.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$1,786 R$9,277

125.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$992 R$5,153

567.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

11.44

1.40%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Cachoeira do Sul: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $346 in Cachoeira do Sul. 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Cachoeira do Sul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $148 – making Cachoeira do Sul 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 Cachoeira do Sul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 64%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,215 in Cachoeira do Sul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cachoeira do Sul, 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $810 in Cachoeira do Sul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Cachoeira do Sul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cachoeira do Sul, where all-in costs run around $810, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. In Cachoeira do Sul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cachoeira do Sul – 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 Cachoeira do Sul. 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.