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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $609 in Cavite, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $998 in Cavite, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,387 in Cavite, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 109% 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 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.63 ₱160

351.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$13.21 ₱802

224.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$2.52 ₱153

322.62%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.89 ₱114

82.54%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.68 ₱41.36

120.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.31 ₱18.71

206.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.21 ₱73.6

150.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.73 ₱105

166.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.64 ₱99.4

-15.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.23 ₱74.9

50.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.06 ₱64.1

51.89%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.23 ₱136

16.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.36 ₱447

12.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.72 ₱226

125.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.20 ₱437

48.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.71 ₱164

-2.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.29 ₱78.6

15.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.39 ₱145

-19.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.16 ₱70.5

80.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.82 ₱111

2.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.63 ₱99.1

38.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.61 ₱36.84

73.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.61 ₱37.03

78.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.37 ₱144

75.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$4.75 ₱288

118.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.02 ₱61.8

68.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.46 ₱88.6

78.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.26 ₱15.64

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$3.14 ₱191

757.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.69 ₱42.16

353.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.22 ₱13.28

1040.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.44 ₱148

29.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.10 ₱67.1

15.45%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$32.0K ₱1.9M

-5.15%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.3K ₱1.2M

15.87%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$49.46 ₱3,003

67.81%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$17.79 ₱1,080

27.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$26.51 ₱1,610

11.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$34.29 ₱2,082

48.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.78 ₱351

-14.71%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$149 ₱9,051

32.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,787 ₱290.6K

10.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$41.53 ₱2,521

-11.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$26.99 ₱1,639

47.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$73.9 ₱4,488

8.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$47.02 ₱2,855

90.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$161 ₱9,800

492.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$124 ₱7,549

283.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$262 ₱15.9K

528.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$401 ₱24.4K

205.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$224 ₱13.6K

198.32%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Cavite: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $161 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 198% 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: $250 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 109%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $914 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $609 in Cavite. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 758% 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 $609, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.