😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,253 in Cayo Coco.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,705 in Cayo Coco.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,156 in Cayo Coco.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 3% more expensive than Cayo Coco, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen4% lower, Cayo Coco6% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Cayo Coco
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$4.85CUP 116
146.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$14.79CUP 355
189.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$6.88CUP 165
53.92%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$0.99CUP 23.69
265.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$1.96CUP 46.97
-25.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.99CUP 23.66
-5.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$2.03CUP 48.77
52.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$2.95CUP 70.8
51.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Cayo Coco
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$3.05CUP 73.1
-53.11%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$1.03CUP 24.67
82.52%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$2.05CUP 49.31
-20.49%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$3.57CUP 85.7
-26.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$6.15CUP 148
33.50%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$4.93CUP 118
68.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$9.88CUP 237
12.35%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$4.98CUP 120
-46.79%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$0.97CUP 23.31
54.64%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$0.98CUP 23.44
103.06%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.01CUP 24.35
105.94%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$1.02CUP 24.37
75.49%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$3.02CUP 72.5
-27.81%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$0.97CUP 23.37
11.34%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.97CUP 23.32
7.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$2.93CUP 70.2
35.49%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$10.08CUP 242
1.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.95CUP 46.77
-11.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$2.05CUP 49.22
21.95%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Cayo Coco
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$19.77CUP 474
36.42%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$1.02CUP 24.36
207.84%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$1.02CUP 24.38
135.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$19.66CUP 472
-84.28%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$0.98CUP 23.44
29.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$70.1KCUP 1.7M
-55.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$80.8KCUP 1.9M
-71.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Cayo Coco
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$40.48CUP 972
102.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$40.55CUP 973
-44.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$219CUP 5,256
-86.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Cayo Coco
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$40.38CUP 969
28.45%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$10.07CUP 242
85.40%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$1.02CUP 24.43
387.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Cayo Coco
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$91.5CUP 2,196
116.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$15.3KCUP 366.0K
-65.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Cayo Coco
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$39.50CUP 948
-8.00%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$30.22CUP 725
32.53%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$74.5CUP 1,789
7.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$80.8CUP 1,939
9.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Cayo Coco
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$396CUP 9,499
143.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$425CUP 10.2K
9.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$1,044CUP 25.1K
52.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$617CUP 14.8K
96.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$296CUP 7,114
1229.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$352CUP 8,454
1730.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Cayo Coco
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$20.16CUP 484
3473.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
10
14.20%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Cayo Coco: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $396 in Cayo Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Playa del Carmen pays 3473% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $15.00 in Cayo Coco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $234 per month, with Cayo Coco cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Cayo Coco: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Cayo Coco?
Cayo Coco wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cayo Coco the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or Cayo Coco?
Playa del Carmen pays 3473% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Cayo Coco?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $396 in Cayo Coco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen vs Cayo Coco?
A monthly transit pass in Cayo Coco runs roughly 36% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and Cayo Coco?
Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $91.5 in Cayo Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or Cayo Coco?
At $1,253 in Cayo Coco versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cayo Coco but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cayo Coco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Cayo Coco?
Both work as nomad bases, but Cayo Coco delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,253 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cayo Coco hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Cayo Coco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado