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 $1,171 per month in Falmouth vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,823 per month in Falmouth vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,475 per month in Falmouth vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Falmouth is about 7% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Falmouth and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Falmouth 13% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.24 JMD 1,146

$11.61 MX$201

-37.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.8 JMD 9,942

$42.75 MX$740

46.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 JMD 1,423

$10.60 MX$184

-15.19%

Cappuccino

$4.23 JMD 669

$3.59 MX$62.2

17.83%

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

$1.31 JMD 208

$1.45 MX$25.15

-9.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 111

$0.90 MX$15.55

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 JMD 407

$3.03 MX$52.5

-15.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 JMD 492

$4.56 MX$79.0

-31.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.28 JMD 678

$1.45 MX$25.14

195.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 JMD 548

$1.83 MX$31.64

89.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 JMD 247

$1.61 MX$27.85

-3.11%

Eggs

$3.52 JMD 558

$2.54 MX$43.95

38.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 JMD 1,765

$8.54 MX$148

30.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 JMD 978

$8.47 MX$147

-27.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 JMD 1,219

$10.86 MX$188

-29.10%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 JMD 958

$2.73 MX$47.26

121.98%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 JMD 492

$1.49 MX$25.85

108.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 JMD 662

$1.94 MX$33.65

115.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.93 JMD 464

$2.16 MX$37.49

35.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 JMD 323

$1.85 MX$31.97

10.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 JMD 310

$2.19 MX$37.91

-10.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 JMD 486

$1.07 MX$18.58

186.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 JMD 226

$1.08 MX$18.76

32.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.74 JMD 1,383

$4.06 MX$70.3

115.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 JMD 1,794

$10.46 MX$181

8.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 JMD 444

$1.65 MX$28.64

69.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 JMD 489

$2.55 MX$44.13

21.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$454

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 JMD 170

$3.14 MX$54.4

-65.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 JMD 498

$2.37 MX$41.08

32.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.34 JMD 1,004

$3.24 MX$56.1

95.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 JMD 197

$1.31 MX$22.76

-4.58%

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

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

$30.5K MX$528.9K

40.98%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.3M

$23.8K MX$412.6K

39.85%

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

$164 JMD 25.9K

$83.1 MX$1,440

96.92%

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

$22.25 JMD 3,522

$22.15 MX$384

0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 JMD 8,050

$29.37 MX$509

73.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.50 JMD 4,510

$51.2 MX$887

-44.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$13.25 JMD 2,097

$4.89 MX$84.7

170.96%

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

$228 JMD 36.1K

$199 MX$3,441

14.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,437 JMD 385.8K

$5,207 MX$90.2K

-53.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.16 JMD 4,141

$35.93 MX$622

-27.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.30 JMD 4,004

$39.39 MX$682

-35.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 JMD 11.4K

$80.3 MX$1,391

-10.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.2 JMD 12.1K

$87.6 MX$1,517

-13.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 JMD 48.9K

$963 MX$16.7K

-67.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 JMD 39.0K

$482 MX$8,350

-48.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$528 JMD 83.6K

$1,645 MX$28.5K

-67.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 JMD 74.2K

$1,192 MX$20.6K

-60.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

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 Falmouth: April 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $309 in Falmouth versus $963 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 in Falmouth versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $253 – 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 8% 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 $1,756 per month in Falmouth and $1,894 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 $43.00 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 38% 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 $1,171, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,262. 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 $1,171 versus $1,262 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.