Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Caye Caulker Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Caye Caulker

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,865 in Caye Caulker, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,727 in Caye Caulker, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,589 in Caye Caulker, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 31% cheaper than Caye Caulker, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Caye Caulker is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$8.74 BZD 17.48

33.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$32.46 BZD 64.9

43.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$7.68 BZD 15.35

51.69%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$4.11 BZD 8.22

-0.49%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.47 BZD 2.94

-6.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$1.74 BZD 3.47

-52.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$3.02 BZD 6.03

10.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$4.60 BZD 9.20

50.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$2.92 BZD 5.84

-40.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.85 BZD 3.71

22.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$4.45 BZD 8.90

-60.22%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$4.27 BZD 8.53

-36.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$10.89 BZD 21.78

-15.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$7.95 BZD 15.90

12.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$13.29 BZD 26.59

-5.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$8.14 BZD 16.29

-62.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.07 BZD 2.14

46.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$1.39 BZD 2.79

53.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$2.93 BZD 5.86

-22.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$5.47 BZD 10.93

-63.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$4.32 BZD 8.63

-52.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$3.23 BZD 6.46

-63.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.74 BZD 3.48

-31.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$4.61 BZD 9.23

0.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$22.36 BZD 44.73

-52.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$2.17 BZD 4.34

-25.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$2.45 BZD 4.90

17.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$4.91 BZD 9.82

-88.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$22.06 BZD 44.13

35.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$3.42 BZD 6.84

59.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$3.04 BZD 6.07

21.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$4.89 BZD 9.77

22.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$3.03 BZD 6.06

-48.84%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$10.5K BZD 20.9K

113.21%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$21.2K BZD 42.4K

22.43%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$202 BZD 404

-55.83%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$34.90 BZD 69.8

-28.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$73.8 BZD 148

-57.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$35.02 BZD 70.0

93.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$14.25 BZD 28.50

102.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$11.84 BZD 23.69

-57.35%

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

$225 MX$3,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$74.4 BZD 149

-36.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$61.0 BZD 122

-26.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$149 BZD 298

-44.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$50.1 BZD 100

83.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,014 BZD 2,027

5.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$748 BZD 1,497

-45.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$753 BZD 1,507

156.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,234 BZD 2,467

5.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$2,009 BZD 4,018

-62.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Caye Caulker: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,014 in Caye Caulker. 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 168% higher in Caye Caulker, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $32.00 in Caye Caulker. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $382 in Caye Caulker – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Caye Caulker: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caye Caulker costs about 44% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,798 in Caye Caulker. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,865 in Caye Caulker. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $32.00 in Caye Caulker. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Caye Caulker at $1,865. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caye Caulker it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,293 versus $1,865 in Caye Caulker. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Caye Caulker makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.