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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $590 in Cavite, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $995 in Cavite, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,400 in Cavite, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 118% more than Cavite, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cavite are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Cavite 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.61 ₱161

357.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$13.42 ₱828

218.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$2.57 ₱159

312.06%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.94 ₱120

86.60%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.67 ₱41.36

119.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.31 ₱19.05

203.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.23 ₱75.8

151.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.72 ₱106

159.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.72 ₱106

-16.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.24 ₱76.5

51.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.00 ₱61.9

63.00%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.16 ₱133

22.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.43 ₱459

10.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.87 ₱239

114.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.91 ₱426

60.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.62 ₱161

1.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.30 ₱80.1

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.29 ₱141

-13.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.20 ₱74.2

73.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.84 ₱113

-2.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.71 ₱105

27.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.60 ₱37.29

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.62 ₱38.08

67.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.32 ₱143

71.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$5.05 ₱312

101.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.03 ₱63.4

67.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.44 ₱88.8

73.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.28 ₱17.42

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$3.13 ₱193

761.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.72 ₱44.59

336.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.24 ₱14.85

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.41 ₱148

28.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.15 ₱70.9

10.43%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$32.5K ₱2.0M

-4.84%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

12.35%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$50.8 ₱3,133

61.44%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$17.39 ₱1,073

29.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$26.11 ₱1,610

13.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$33.93 ₱2,093

52.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.83 ₱360

-14.75%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$151 ₱9,324

30.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$4,745 ₱292.7K

11.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$40.78 ₱2,516

-10.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$26.30 ₱1,622

52.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$74.7 ₱4,605

6.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$47.03 ₱2,901

88.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$158 ₱9,755

509.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$124 ₱7,661

274.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$269 ₱16.6K

493.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$396 ₱24.4K

205.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$234 ₱14.5K

207.29%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Cavite: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $158 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 207% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Cavite. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 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 118%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $884 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 $1,287 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 762% 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 $1,287. 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.