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 $880 per month in Duncans vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,432 per month in Duncans vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,985 per month in Duncans vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Duncans is about 31% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Duncans and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Duncans 35% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.56 JMD 1,189

$11.87 MX$207

-36.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 JMD 9,945

$42.90 MX$749

47.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 JMD 1,349

$10.65 MX$186

-19.44%

Cappuccino

$4.32 JMD 680

$3.45 MX$60.2

25.22%

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

$1.30 JMD 205

$1.50 MX$26.24

-13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 118

$0.95 MX$16.56

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 JMD 382

$3.03 MX$52.8

-19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 498

$4.61 MX$80.4

-31.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.34 JMD 683

$1.38 MX$24.01

214.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 JMD 547

$1.85 MX$32.24

88.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JMD 257

$1.61 MX$28.11

1.24%

Eggs

$3.59 JMD 564

$2.59 MX$45.26

38.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 JMD 1,748

$8.26 MX$144

34.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 JMD 1,025

$8.37 MX$146

-22.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 JMD 1,177

$10.66 MX$186

-29.74%

Apples (1kg)

$6.09 JMD 959

$2.63 MX$45.89

131.56%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 494

$1.49 MX$25.96

110.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 JMD 657

$1.92 MX$33.50

117.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 JMD 478

$2.09 MX$36.41

45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 JMD 321

$1.86 MX$32.42

9.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 JMD 305

$2.26 MX$39.47

-14.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 JMD 470

$1.06 MX$18.54

182.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 234

$1.09 MX$18.98

36.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.66 JMD 1,362

$4.15 MX$72.4

108.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.33 JMD 1,783

$10.39 MX$181

9.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 JMD 451

$1.72 MX$30.09

66.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 JMD 498

$2.61 MX$45.60

21.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 JMD 168

$3.13 MX$54.6

-65.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.09 JMD 486

$2.51 MX$43.82

23.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 JMD 1,013

$3.15 MX$55.0

104.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 JMD 203

$1.27 MX$22.25

1.57%

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

$42.1K JMD 6.6M

$30.4K MX$530.1K

38.65%

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

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

$23.6K MX$411.3K

40.05%

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

$163 JMD 25.6K

$83.0 MX$1,449

96.04%

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

$22.31 JMD 3,509

$22.71 MX$396

-1.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 JMD 7,942

$29.46 MX$514

71.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 JMD 2,032

$4.93 MX$86.0

162.07%

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

$225 JMD 35.4K

$197 MX$3,444

14.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,464 JMD 387.5K

$5,280 MX$92.1K

-53.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.26 JMD 4,130

$36.90 MX$644

-28.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.90 JMD 4,074

$39.89 MX$696

-35.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

$80.0 MX$1,396

-10.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

$89.5 MX$1,561

-15.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Duncans versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $250 – 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 44%, 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 $1,319 per month in Duncans and $1,906 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 $880 in Duncans and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Duncans and $197 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 $880, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.