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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $852 in Cazin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,298 in Cazin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,743 in Cazin.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 53% more expensive than in Cazin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Cazin 38% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Cazin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 MX$203
$4.72 BAM 7.95
153.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38 MX$804
$23.39 BAM 39.42
102.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.75 MX$199
$8.66 BAM 14.59
35.68%
Cappuccino
$4.12 MX$70.0
$1.20 BAM 2.02
243.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MX$23.74
$1.87 BAM 3.15
-25.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.48
$1.31 BAM 2.21
-30.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$54.4
$1.67 BAM 2.81
92.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07 MX$120
$2.63 BAM 4.44
168.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Cazin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.44
$1.23 BAM 2.08
36.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.15 MX$36.48
$1.14 BAM 1.92
88.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$30.10
$2.20 BAM 3.71
-19.55%
Eggs
$2.82 MX$47.76
$2.12 BAM 3.58
33.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 MX$156
$10.34 BAM 17.43
-11.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.23 MX$157
$7.42 BAM 12.50
24.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.64 MX$214
$15.07 BAM 25.39
-16.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 MX$50.1
$1.50 BAM 2.53
96.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MX$26.79
$1.76 BAM 2.96
-10.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 MX$37.70
$1.76 BAM 2.97
26.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 MX$40.09
$1.71 BAM 2.88
38.01%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 MX$33.81
$1.04 BAM 1.75
91.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 MX$33.58
$1.18 BAM 1.99
67.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 MX$21.04
$1.17 BAM 1.96
5.98%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$20.55
$0.77 BAM 1.29
57.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60 MX$78.1
$4.11 BAM 6.93
11.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.52 MX$178
$8.21 BAM 13.83
28.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 MX$28.70
$0.92 BAM 1.54
83.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 MX$47.06
$1.11 BAM 1.87
149.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Cazin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.22
$1.76 BAM 2.96
-65.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.70 MX$504
$36.54 BAM 61.6
-18.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.24 MX$88.8
$1.80 BAM 3.03
191.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.65 MX$61.9
$0.93 BAM 1.56
292.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.78 MX$98.1
$9.16 BAM 15.44
-36.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.09
$1.66 BAM 2.80
-7.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K MX$386.8K
$24.4K BAM 41.1K
-6.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K MX$437.9K
$23.9K BAM 40.3K
7.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Cazin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.7 MX$1,538
$120 BAM 202
-24.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19 MX$427
$14.57 BAM 24.55
72.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75 MX$539
$29.23 BAM 49.24
8.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Cazin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.8 MX$1,167
$25.08 BAM 42.26
174.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37 MX$498
$29.96 BAM 50.5
-1.97%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$82.5
$4.52 BAM 7.62
7.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Cazin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$226 MX$3,828
$213 BAM 359
5.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,194 MX$71.1K
$4,008 BAM 6,754
4.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Cazin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38 MX$804
$41.80 BAM 70.4
13.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45 MX$737
$29.81 BAM 50.2
45.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.2 MX$1,361
$50.4 BAM 84.9
59.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,550
$81.2 BAM 137
12.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Cazin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 MX$18.4K
$241 BAM 407
349.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$409 MX$6,933
$175 BAM 295
133.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,972 MX$33.5K
$371 BAM 624
432.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 MX$21.7K
$281 BAM 473
356.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,046 MX$68.6K
$1,343 BAM 2,262
201.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,704 MX$113.7K
$1,171 BAM 1,973
472.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Cazin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$773 MX$13.1K
$718 BAM 1,211
7.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
4.08
180.64%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Cazin: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $241 in Cazin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 8% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $23.00 in Cazin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $231 per month, with Cazin cheaper across the board.

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 Cazin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and in Cazin?
Playa del Carmen and Cazin differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $852 including rent). Cazin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Playa del Carmen or Cazin?
Average pay runs 8% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Cazin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $241 in Cazin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Cazin – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Cazin?
All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $852 in Cazin – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $852 in Cazin versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cazin but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cazin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Cazin?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Playa del Carmen or Cazin safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Cazin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Cazin?
Expats usually find Cazin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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