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 $900 per month in Duncans vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,459 per month in Duncans vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,018 per month in Duncans vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Duncans is about 29% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Duncans and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Duncans 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 JMD 1,168

$11.95 MX$208

-37.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 JMD 9,821

$41.94 MX$731

48.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 JMD 1,383

$10.42 MX$182

-15.74%

Cappuccino

$4.30 JMD 678

$3.51 MX$61.3

22.51%

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

$1.30 JMD 205

$1.52 MX$26.44

-14.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 111

$0.91 MX$15.88

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 JMD 403

$3.04 MX$53.0

-15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 JMD 486

$4.37 MX$76.2

-29.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.19 JMD 659

$1.42 MX$24.78

195.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 JMD 566

$1.83 MX$31.93

96.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 256

$1.63 MX$28.51

-0.61%

Eggs

$3.43 JMD 540

$2.54 MX$44.29

35.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.25 JMD 1,772

$8.57 MX$149

31.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 JMD 996

$8.49 MX$148

-25.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.56 JMD 1,190

$10.80 MX$188

-30.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.88 JMD 926

$2.75 MX$48.04

113.82%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 JMD 486

$1.44 MX$25.05

114.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 JMD 659

$1.89 MX$32.90

121.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 JMD 481

$2.17 MX$37.84

41.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 JMD 332

$1.78 MX$31.03

18.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 JMD 319

$2.22 MX$38.79

-8.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.13 JMD 492

$1.07 MX$18.64

192.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 JMD 237

$1.08 MX$18.83

39.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.53 JMD 1,344

$4.15 MX$72.3

105.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,806

$10.45 MX$182

9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 JMD 433

$1.74 MX$30.40

58.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 JMD 490

$2.58 MX$45.01

20.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 169

$3.21 MX$56.0

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 507

$2.50 MX$43.64

28.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 JMD 1,013

$3.19 MX$55.6

101.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 193

$1.26 MX$21.91

-2.38%

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

$43.3K JMD 6.8M

$29.7K MX$517.7K

45.77%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

$23.7K MX$413.0K

40.74%

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

$161 JMD 25.3K

$82.0 MX$1,430

96.23%

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

$21.75 JMD 3,425

$22.73 MX$396

-4.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 JMD 8,082

$29.42 MX$513

74.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$910

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$13.28 JMD 2,092

$4.93 MX$86.0

169.37%

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

$222 JMD 35.0K

$202 MX$3,519

10.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,499 JMD 393.6K

$5,217 MX$91.0K

-52.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.79 JMD 4,062

$35.93 MX$627

-28.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.46 JMD 4,010

$40.33 MX$703

-36.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 JMD 11.1K

$79.9 MX$1,393

-11.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 JMD 12.2K

$89.3 MX$1,557

-13.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,114

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.42

-19.88%

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

Last update for Duncans: July 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Duncans versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $252 – 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 40%, 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 $1,349 per month in Duncans and $1,888 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 $900 in Duncans and $1,259 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Duncans and $202 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 $900, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. 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.