Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cauayan City Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cauayan City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $682 in Cauayan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,055 in Cauayan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,428 in Cauayan City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 84% more than Cauayan City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cauayan City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Cauayan City 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.53 ₱217

239.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$13.17 ₱811

217.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$2.72 ₱167

295.22%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.24 ₱138

56.25%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.30 ₱18.75

383.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.31 ₱19.06

183.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.09 ₱67.2

170.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$1.74 ₱107

159.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.65 ₱101

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.21 ₱74.5

52.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.93 ₱57.0

68.82%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.52 ₱93.3

65.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$4.82 ₱297

71.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$3.90 ₱240

116.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$6.94 ₱427

53.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.15 ₱132

21.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.83 ₱51.4

73.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$2.11 ₱130

-7.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.69 ₱42.67

202.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.93 ₱57.3

98.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.36 ₱84.0

59.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.68 ₱41.73

51.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.73 ₱45.09

46.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$2.62 ₱161

56.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$8.83 ₱544

15.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.07 ₱66.1

57.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.09 ₱129

21.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.28 ₱17.38

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.93 ₱57.0

247.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.22 ₱13.49

995.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.45 ₱151

31.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.10 ₱67.8

20.00%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$17.8K ₱1.1M

66.61%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

15.23%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$90.1 ₱5,546

-8.96%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$34.70 ₱2,137

-33.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$26.66 ₱1,641

12.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$33.87 ₱2,085

53.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$4.32 ₱266

328.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$4.22 ₱260

18.01%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$53.6 ₱3,303

268.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$1,788 ₱110.1K

198.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$26.83 ₱1,652

32.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$21.31 ₱1,312

89.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$53.0 ₱3,262

48.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$46.24 ₱2,847

92.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$262 ₱16.1K

261.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$175 ₱10.8K

171.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$596 ₱36.7K

175.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$402 ₱24.7K

201.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$2,592 ₱159.6K

56.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,003 ₱61.7K

545.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$212 ₱13.1K

207.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.5

153.78%

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 Cauayan City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $262 in Cauayan City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 208% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Cauayan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $165 – making Cauayan City 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 Cauayan City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $682 in Cauayan City – roughly 84% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,023 in Cauayan City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cauayan City, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $682 in Cauayan City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $53.6 in Cauayan City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cauayan City, where all-in costs run around $682, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Cauayan City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $682 in Cauayan City to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Cauayan City. 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.