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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $685 in Cauayan City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,058 in Cauayan City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,431 in Cauayan City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 89% 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 3% lower, Cauayan City 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.58 ₱221

227.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$13.51 ₱833

208.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$2.59 ₱160

310.81%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.32 ₱143

51.72%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.30 ₱18.78

403.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.31 ₱18.85

212.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.05 ₱64.7

180.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.76 ₱108

152.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.71 ₱106

-19.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.25 ₱77.2

51.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.93 ₱57.2

76.34%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.48 ₱91.1

69.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.01 ₱309

66.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.90 ₱241

113.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.04 ₱434

52.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.15 ₱133

20.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.78 ₱48.25

87.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.10 ₱130

-9.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.73 ₱45.15

184.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.90 ₱55.7

97.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.35 ₱83.1

62.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.71 ₱43.81

46.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.70 ₱42.92

54.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.63 ₱162

55.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.87 ₱547

16.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.03 ₱63.7

66.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.19 ₱135

17.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.28 ₱17.28

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.91 ₱55.9

258.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.22 ₱13.49

1031.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.34 ₱145

38.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.10 ₱68.0

19.09%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$17.5K ₱1.1M

73.28%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.1K ₱1.2M

16.54%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$88.0 ₱5,427

-5.83%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$34.44 ₱2,123

-35.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$26.71 ₱1,647

9.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$33.97 ₱2,095

51.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.45 ₱274

311.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.27 ₱263

18.74%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$53.5 ₱3,296

275.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,768 ₱109.0K

194.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$26.40 ₱1,628

39.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$21.60 ₱1,332

84.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$53.4 ₱3,292

46.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$46.75 ₱2,883

86.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$264 ₱16.3K

268.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$176 ₱10.9K

165.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$586 ₱36.2K

179.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$400 ₱24.6K

205.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,635 ₱162.5K

49.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,073 ₱66.2K

505.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$214 ₱13.2K

209.79%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cauayan City: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $264 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 210% 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 $14.00 in Cauayan City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $166 – 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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $685 in Cauayan City – roughly 89% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,028 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $685 in Cauayan City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $53.5 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 $685, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $685 in Cauayan City to $1,297 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.