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 $2,238 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,021 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,804 in Cambridge.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 42% less than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Cambridge is 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$13.82 NZ$23.54

-15.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$35.76 NZ$60.9

16.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.78 NZ$14.96

21.18%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.94 NZ$5.02

19.73%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$2.30 NZ$3.92

-34.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$2.15 NZ$3.66

-54.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$4.83 NZ$8.23

-38.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$6.47 NZ$11.03

-31.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.63 NZ$2.78

-15.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.70 NZ$2.89

11.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.88 NZ$3.20

-12.77%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$6.18 NZ$10.53

-59.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$8.39 NZ$14.29

-0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.11 NZ$15.52

-8.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$12.48 NZ$21.26

-14.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.42 NZ$4.13

7.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.89 NZ$3.22

-22.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.44 NZ$4.15

-22.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.94 NZ$5.00

-29.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.12 NZ$3.62

-16.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.76 NZ$3.00

24.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.12 NZ$3.61

-50.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.29 NZ$2.21

-16.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$20.37 NZ$34.69

-79.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$10.12 NZ$17.24

1.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.52 NZ$4.29

-32.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.65 NZ$4.51

-2.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$2.99 NZ$5.09

-82.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$64.5 NZ$110

-59.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.67 NZ$4.54

22.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.97 NZ$3.36

26.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$35.74 NZ$60.9

-90.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.66 NZ$2.83

-21.08%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$27.5K NZ$46.8K

10.21%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$23.5K NZ$40.0K

-0.35%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$109 NZ$185

-23.87%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$36.71 NZ$62.5

-39.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$39.79 NZ$67.8

-26.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$37.23 NZ$63.4

38.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$11.85 NZ$20.18

54.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$9.29 NZ$15.83

-45.43%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$742 NZ$1,264

-72.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$12.0K NZ$20.4K

-56.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$98.7 NZ$168

-62.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$56.8 NZ$96.7

-29.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$105 NZ$178

-25.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$129 NZ$220

-32.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$975 NZ$1,661

-0.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$1,217 NZ$2,073

-61.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,146 NZ$3,654

-23.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,590 NZ$2,708

-23.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$4,563 NZ$7,770

-13.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$3,389 NZ$5,772

91.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,683 NZ$4,569

-75.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

90.33%

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: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $975 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 304% 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 $36.00 in Cambridge. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $294, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cambridge earns 304% 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 $975 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,238 in Cambridge – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 144% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,238 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Cambridge are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.