Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Caleta de Fuste

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,604 in Caleta de Fuste, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Caleta de Fuste, Spain
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Caleta de Fuste
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,604
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Caleta de Fuste

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 Caleta de Fuste actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,604 in Caleta de Fuste, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Caleta de Fuste $1,604

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,420 in Caleta de Fuste, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Caleta de Fuste $2,420

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,237 in Caleta de Fuste, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Caleta de Fuste $3,237

Playa del Carmen is about 25% cheaper than Caleta de Fuste, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Caleta de Fuste is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$13.54 €12.13
-19.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$814
$72.3 €64.7
-39.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$10.80 €9.67
9.07%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.5
$2.60 €2.33
46.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.07
$2.20 €1.97
-41.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.70
$1.64 €1.47
-52.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$3.01 €2.69
5.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$3.59 €3.22
37.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.40
$1.14 €1.02
23.68%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.62
$1.50 €1.34
48.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.61
$1.60 €1.43
-11.25%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.36
$3.66 €3.27
-31.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
$12.20 €10.92
-40.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
$9.92 €8.89
-22.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
$18.12 €16.23
-29.97%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$2.55 €2.29
9.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.68
$2.17 €1.94
-36.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.89
$2.33 €2.09
9.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.86
$1.72 €1.54
23.26%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.39
$1.76 €1.58
10.23%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.41
$2.30 €2.06
-17.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.53
$1.95 €1.75
-41.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.13
$0.88 €0.78
34.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.6
$4.53 €4.06
-5.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$6.78 €6.07
46.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.73
$1.38 €1.24
14.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
$2.72 €2.43
-1.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.39
$1.64 €1.47
-66.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$32.01 €28.67
-16.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.3
$3.30 €2.95
50.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.5
$2.21 €1.98
50.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$28.55 €25.57
-81.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.11
$1.66 €1.49
-13.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.0K
$30.1K €26.9K
-31.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$440.5K
$32.2K €28.8K
-27.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,592
$115 €103
-26.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$19.36 €17.34
20.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$538
$28.56 €25.58
0.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,071
$45.32 €40.59
25.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
$15.43 €13.82
87.36%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.5
$9.01 €8.07
-42.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,878
$480 €430
-56.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.7K
$6,636 €5,943
-40.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$814
$90.1 €80.7
-51.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$778
$38.21 €34.22
8.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,393
$90.0 €80.6
-17.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,676
$121 €108
-25.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$894 €801
9.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,150
$677 €606
-43.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$1,320 €1,182
29.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$1,003 €899
7.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.0K
$3,232 €2,895
21.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.6K
$2,170 €1,944
183.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Caleta de Fuste
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
3.15
263.49%

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 Caleta de Fuste: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Caleta de Fuste
$677 77.7% $296
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Caleta de Fuste
$286 12.2% $31
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Caleta de Fuste
$210 3.6% $7.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Caleta de Fuste
$163 18.9% $26
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Caleta de Fuste
$152 36.5% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Caleta de Fuste
$63 5.9% $4
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Caleta de Fuste
$53 4.9% $2.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $894 in Caleta de Fuste. 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 $72 in Caleta de Fuste. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $286 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇪🇸 Caleta de Fuste
🕒 Local time
19:13 7:13 PM
00:13 12:13 AM
5 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
6,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Caleta de Fuste 7,350 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Caleta de Fuste

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 Caleta de Fuste: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Caleta de Fuste?
Yes – Caleta de Fuste is pricier by about 33%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,406 in Caleta de Fuste. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Caleta de Fuste?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $980 in Playa del Carmen and $894 in Caleta de Fuste. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 17% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Playa del Carmen and $480 in Caleta de Fuste. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Caleta de Fuste?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Caleta de Fuste at $1,604. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caleta de Fuste it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Caleta de Fuste?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,604 in Caleta de Fuste. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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