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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,143 per month in Falmouth vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,849 per month in Falmouth vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,554 per month in Falmouth vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Falmouth is about 9% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Falmouth and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Falmouth 14% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.48 JMD 1,178

$11.95 MX$208

-37.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 JMD 9,988

$41.94 MX$731

51.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 JMD 1,401

$10.42 MX$182

-14.59%

Cappuccino

$4.24 JMD 668

$3.51 MX$61.3

20.80%

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

$1.31 JMD 206

$1.52 MX$26.44

-13.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 120

$0.91 MX$15.88

-16.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 JMD 405

$3.04 MX$53.0

-15.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 497

$4.37 MX$76.2

-27.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.38 JMD 690

$1.42 MX$24.78

208.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 JMD 557

$1.83 MX$31.93

93.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 255

$1.63 MX$28.51

-0.61%

Eggs

$3.44 JMD 541

$2.54 MX$44.29

35.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 JMD 1,758

$8.57 MX$149

30.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 JMD 1,020

$8.49 MX$148

-23.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 JMD 1,184

$10.80 MX$188

-30.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 JMD 937

$2.75 MX$48.04

116.36%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 JMD 485

$1.44 MX$25.05

113.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 JMD 662

$1.89 MX$32.90

122.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 JMD 464

$2.17 MX$37.84

35.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 316

$1.78 MX$31.03

12.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 JMD 308

$2.22 MX$38.79

-12.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 JMD 473

$1.07 MX$18.64

180.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 JMD 237

$1.08 MX$18.83

38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.97 JMD 1,412

$4.15 MX$72.3

116.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.50 JMD 1,810

$10.45 MX$182

10.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 JMD 434

$1.74 MX$30.40

58.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 JMD 479

$2.58 MX$45.01

17.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 JMD 178

$3.21 MX$56.0

-64.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.14 JMD 495

$2.50 MX$43.64

25.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 JMD 964

$3.19 MX$55.6

91.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 194

$1.26 MX$21.91

-2.38%

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

$43.5K JMD 6.9M

$29.7K MX$517.7K

46.54%

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

$33.4K JMD 5.3M

$23.7K MX$413.0K

41.19%

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

$166 JMD 26.2K

$82.0 MX$1,430

102.89%

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

$22.37 JMD 3,523

$22.73 MX$396

-1.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 JMD 8,162

$29.42 MX$513

76.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.39 JMD 4,471

$52.2 MX$910

-45.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$13.03 JMD 2,051

$4.93 MX$86.0

164.30%

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

$229 JMD 36.1K

$202 MX$3,519

13.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,510 JMD 395.2K

$5,217 MX$91.0K

-51.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.74 JMD 4,053

$35.93 MX$627

-28.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.35 JMD 3,992

$40.33 MX$703

-37.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 JMD 11.3K

$79.9 MX$1,393

-9.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.7 JMD 11.9K

$89.3 MX$1,557

-15.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 JMD 48.5K

$948 MX$16.5K

-67.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 JMD 39.5K

$465 MX$8,114

-46.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 JMD 83.4K

$1,630 MX$28.4K

-67.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 JMD 72.8K

$1,193 MX$20.8K

-61.26%

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 Falmouth: July 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $308 in Falmouth versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Falmouth versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 10% more than Falmouth, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,714 per month in Falmouth and $1,888 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Falmouth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Falmouth and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 39% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Falmouth, where all-in costs run around $1,143, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. In Falmouth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Falmouth costs $1,143 versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Falmouth. 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.