Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Los Cabos Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Los Cabos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,484 in Los Cabos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,376 in Los Cabos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,268 in Los Cabos.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 12% less than in Los Cabos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Los Cabos is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$24.29 MX$412

-50.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$46.37 MX$787

2.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$13.81 MX$234

-14.92%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$5.46 MX$92.7

-24.54%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.43 MX$41.29

-42.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$2.04 MX$34.56

-55.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$4.98 MX$84.5

-35.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$8.97 MX$152

-21.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.70 MX$28.85

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.18 MX$54.0

-32.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.52 MX$42.77

-29.76%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.57 MX$43.66

9.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$10.04 MX$170

-8.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$10.22 MX$173

-9.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$19.15 MX$325

-33.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$4.46 MX$75.6

-33.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.88 MX$31.87

-15.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.13 MX$53.2

-29.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.71 MX$45.96

-12.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.42 MX$41.02

-17.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.85 MX$48.35

-30.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.39 MX$23.59

-10.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.88 MX$14.92

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$4.99 MX$84.6

-7.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$11.27 MX$191

-6.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.65 MX$28.05

2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.35 MX$56.8

-17.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$1.45 MX$24.57

-58.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$2.82 MX$47.83

85.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$2.17 MX$36.79

68.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$11.65 MX$198

-50.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.54 MX$26.07

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$22.4K MX$380.4K

1.67%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$25.6K MX$433.9K

0.93%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$63.7 MX$1,080

42.36%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$29.60 MX$502

-14.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$26.66 MX$452

19.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$37.35 MX$634

84.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$21.34 MX$362

37.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.76 MX$80.8

2.10%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$247 MX$4,191

-8.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$4,856 MX$82.4K

-13.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$98.2 MX$1,666

-51.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$46.04 MX$781

-5.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$131 MX$2,231

-38.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$91.3 MX$1,548

0.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$650 MX$11.0K

67.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$421 MX$7,134

-2.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,135 MX$19.3K

73.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$831 MX$14.1K

54.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,976 MX$33.5K

104.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,212 MX$20.6K

452.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$892 MX$15.1K

-13.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.3

1.33%

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 Los Cabos: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $650 in Los Cabos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Cabos pays 15% 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 $46.00 in Los Cabos. Groceries flip the comparison at $278 vs $334, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Los Cabos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Los Cabos. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $650 in Los Cabos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Los Cabos. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,484 in Los Cabos – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,484 in Los Cabos, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Los Cabos. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Los Cabos, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Los Cabos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.