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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,217 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,973 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,729 in Cambridge.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 43% less than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Cambridge is 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$13.40 NZ$22.93

-10.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$731

$35.88 NZ$61.4

16.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$188

$9.22 NZ$15.77

16.59%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.1

$3.05 NZ$5.23

14.75%

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

$1.45 MX$25.33

$2.38 NZ$4.08

-39.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.47

$2.23 NZ$3.81

-60.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.6

$4.95 NZ$8.46

-40.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.9

$6.21 NZ$10.62

-27.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.04

$1.67 NZ$2.86

-14.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.13

$1.70 NZ$2.90

8.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.42

$1.91 NZ$3.26

-17.80%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.92

$6.27 NZ$10.73

-59.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$8.37 NZ$14.31

-1.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$9.02 NZ$15.43

-6.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$12.17 NZ$20.83

-12.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.62

$2.43 NZ$4.16

7.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.15

$1.82 NZ$3.12

-20.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.31

$2.34 NZ$4.00

-16.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.62

$3.06 NZ$5.23

-31.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.37

$2.15 NZ$3.69

-13.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.90

$1.77 NZ$3.03

22.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.04

$2.03 NZ$3.47

-49.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.78

$1.24 NZ$2.11

-13.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.7

$20.04 NZ$34.29

-79.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$10.18 NZ$17.41

-0.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.29

$2.52 NZ$4.31

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.17

$2.62 NZ$4.49

-3.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$3.09 NZ$5.28

-83.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$455

$64.7 NZ$111

-59.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$2.65 NZ$4.54

21.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.06

$1.93 NZ$3.30

24.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$34.76 NZ$59.5

-90.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.10

$1.73 NZ$2.96

-23.70%

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

$29.7K MX$519.2K

$27.6K NZ$47.3K

7.47%

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

$23.7K MX$413.7K

$22.9K NZ$39.2K

3.18%

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

$82.0 MX$1,434

$110 NZ$189

-25.78%

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

$22.95 MX$401

$37.70 NZ$64.5

-39.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$527

$39.46 NZ$67.5

-23.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$909

$37.48 NZ$64.1

38.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$324

$12.19 NZ$20.86

52.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.0

$9.08 NZ$15.53

-45.15%

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

$197 MX$3,452

$757 NZ$1,296

-73.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.3K

$12.1K NZ$20.8K

-56.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$622

$97.8 NZ$167

-63.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$705

$57.2 NZ$97.9

-29.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,377

$103 NZ$177

-23.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$126 NZ$216

-29.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$954 NZ$1,633

-0.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,288

$1,204 NZ$2,060

-60.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.7K

$2,081 NZ$3,560

-21.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,594 NZ$2,727

-24.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.9K

$4,784 NZ$8,185

-15.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.1K

$3,307 NZ$5,657

95.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$2,610 NZ$4,465

-74.95%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $954 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge pays 299% 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 $292, 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 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 299% lower in Cambridge. 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $954 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,217 in Cambridge – a 77% 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 148% less than in Cambridge. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,217 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 77% less than in Cambridge. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.