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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,050 per month in Duncans vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,731 per month in Duncans vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,411 per month in Duncans vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Duncans is about 20% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Duncans and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Duncans 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.03 JMD 2,518

$11.96 MX$203

34.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.8 JMD 12.1K

$47.38 MX$804

62.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 JMD 1,385

$11.75 MX$199

-24.94%

Cappuccino

$5.21 JMD 819

$4.12 MX$70.0

26.46%

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

$1.25 JMD 196

$1.40 MX$23.74

-10.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 JMD 107

$0.91 MX$15.48

-25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 JMD 341

$3.21 MX$54.4

-32.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 JMD 486

$7.07 MX$120

-56.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.14 JMD 650

$1.68 MX$28.44

146.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 JMD 578

$2.15 MX$36.48

71.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 JMD 260

$1.77 MX$30.10

-6.78%

Eggs

$3.47 JMD 544

$2.82 MX$47.76

23.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 JMD 1,782

$9.20 MX$156

23.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 JMD 967

$9.23 MX$157

-33.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.14 JMD 1,592

$12.64 MX$214

-19.78%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 JMD 972

$2.95 MX$50.1

109.83%

Banana (1kg)

$3.96 JMD 622

$1.58 MX$26.79

150.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.42 JMD 1,165

$2.22 MX$37.70

234.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.10 JMD 488

$2.36 MX$40.09

31.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 JMD 517

$1.99 MX$33.81

65.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 JMD 422

$1.98 MX$33.58

35.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.05 JMD 479

$1.24 MX$21.04

145.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 227

$1.21 MX$20.55

19.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.50 JMD 1,492

$4.60 MX$78.1

106.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 JMD 1,753

$10.52 MX$178

6.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 JMD 447

$1.69 MX$28.70

68.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 JMD 643

$2.77 MX$47.06

47.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 JMD 193

$5.24 MX$88.8

-76.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 JMD 483

$3.65 MX$61.9

-15.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.41 JMD 1,007

$5.78 MX$98.1

10.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 JMD 221

$1.54 MX$26.09

-8.44%

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

$44.9K JMD 7.1M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

97.00%

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

$32.6K JMD 5.1M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

26.36%

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

$177 JMD 27.8K

$90.7 MX$1,538

95.40%

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

$29.71 JMD 4,666

$25.19 MX$427

17.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 JMD 8,196

$31.75 MX$539

64.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 JMD 2,075

$4.86 MX$82.5

171.81%

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

$363 JMD 57.0K

$226 MX$3,828

60.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,328 JMD 1.3M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

98.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.73 JMD 3,727

$47.38 MX$804

-49.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.30 JMD 4,916

$43.45 MX$737

-27.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-3.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 JMD 16.3K

$91.4 MX$1,550

13.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

11.45

-17.47%

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

Last update for Duncans: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Duncans versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $278 – making Playa del Carmen 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

Duncans vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,576 per month in Duncans and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,050 in Duncans and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $363 per month in Duncans and $226 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Duncans, where all-in costs run around $1,050, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Duncans it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Duncans – 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 Duncans. 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.