Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cambridge Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cambridge

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,479 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,553 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,628 in Cambridge.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 48% less than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Cambridge is 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$14.44 CA$20.08

-18.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$65.4 CA$91.0

-36.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$9.54 CA$13.27

11.53%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$3.53 CA$4.91

-0.28%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$2.20 CA$3.06

-31.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$1.63 CA$2.27

-40.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$5.95 CA$8.27

-50.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$6.69 CA$9.31

-33.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$2.12 CA$2.95

-34.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$2.23 CA$3.11

-15.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$2.95 CA$4.10

-44.41%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$3.09 CA$4.29

-18.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.21 CA$11.41

1.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.67 CA$16.23

-28.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$13.97 CA$19.43

-23.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$3.78 CA$5.26

-31.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.20 CA$1.67

21.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$3.71 CA$5.16

-48.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$3.72 CA$5.18

-44.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$2.70 CA$3.75

-34.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$2.49 CA$3.47

-12.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$2.14 CA$2.98

-51.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.64 CA$2.28

-34.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$13.68 CA$19.03

-70.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$12.75 CA$17.73

-19.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$2.47 CA$3.44

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$3.21 CA$4.47

-19.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$2.51 CA$3.49

-79.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$68.6 CA$95.4

-61.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.52 CA$3.51

29.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$1.74 CA$2.42

43.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$24.06 CA$33.46

-86.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.14 CA$1.59

14.91%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

21.27%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$20.2K CA$28.1K

16.00%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$154 CA$214

-46.20%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$38.79 CA$54.0

-42.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$55.2 CA$76.8

-46.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$30.12 CA$41.89

71.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$11.62 CA$16.16

-56.37%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$561 CA$780

-64.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$10.1K CA$14.1K

-48.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$56.6 CA$78.7

-34.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$34.66 CA$48.20

14.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$70.3 CA$97.7

11.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$111 CA$155

-21.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,411 CA$1,963

-31.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$1,378 CA$1,916

-66.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,702 CA$3,757

-39.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$2,106 CA$2,929

-42.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$4,307 CA$5,990

-8.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$3,927 CA$5,461

65.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,989 CA$4,157

-77.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.64

71.99%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $1,411 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 350% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $65.0 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $338 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cambridge earns 350% 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,411 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Cambridge. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $65.0 in Cambridge. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,479 in Cambridge, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Cambridge. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cambridge, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.