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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $590 in Cavite, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $996 in Cavite, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,401 in Cavite, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 114% more than Cavite, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cavite are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Cavite 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$2.58 ₱159

354.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$13.54 ₱831

209.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$2.65 ₱163

296.60%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.87 ₱115

91.98%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.68 ₱41.73

122.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.33 ₱20.37

178.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.23 ₱75.3

140.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$1.79 ₱110

146.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.64 ₱101

-14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.20 ₱74.0

56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.06 ₱64.8

47.17%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.16 ₱133

20.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$7.57 ₱465

9.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$3.88 ₱238

115.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$6.95 ₱427

56.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.68 ₱165

1.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.37 ₱83.9

10.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$2.37 ₱145

-21.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.20 ₱73.8

82.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.83 ₱112

1.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.66 ₱102

34.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.60 ₱36.59

78.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.57 ₱35.19

91.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.33 ₱143

79.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$4.74 ₱291

120.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.02 ₱62.8

62.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$1.38 ₱84.9

89.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.28 ₱17.39

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$3.03 ₱186

763.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.74 ₱45.71

316.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.24 ₱14.75

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$2.32 ₱143

34.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.14 ₱70.0

14.91%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$32.4K ₱2.0M

-8.08%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$20.2K ₱1.2M

15.50%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$50.3 ₱3,086

61.72%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$17.56 ₱1,078

28.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$26.08 ₱1,602

15.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$33.27 ₱2,043

59.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$5.79 ₱355

-15.03%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$150 ₱9,230

33.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$4,754 ₱291.9K

8.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$40.49 ₱2,486

-11.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$26.41 ₱1,622

51.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$74.4 ₱4,568

7.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$46.84 ₱2,876

84.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$160 ₱9,840

510.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$122 ₱7,510

284.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$268 ₱16.4K

517.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$393 ₱24.1K

206.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$222 ₱13.7K

204.23%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Cavite: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $160 in Cavite. 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 204% 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 Cavite. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $177 – making Cavite 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 Cavite: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 114%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $885 in Cavite. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cavite, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $590 in Cavite. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 763% less in Cavite. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cavite, where all-in costs run around $590, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Cavite it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cavite – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cavite. 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.