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 $1,167 per month in Falmouth vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,849 per month in Falmouth vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,531 per month in Falmouth vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Falmouth is about 8% 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 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 JMD 1,123

$11.87 MX$207

-39.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.6 JMD 9,853

$42.90 MX$749

46.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 JMD 1,396

$10.65 MX$186

-16.62%

Cappuccino

$4.44 JMD 699

$3.45 MX$60.2

28.70%

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

$1.38 JMD 216

$1.50 MX$26.24

-8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 JMD 117

$0.95 MX$16.56

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 JMD 391

$3.03 MX$52.8

-18.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 496

$4.61 MX$80.4

-31.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.44 JMD 698

$1.38 MX$24.01

221.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 JMD 564

$1.85 MX$32.24

94.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JMD 257

$1.61 MX$28.11

1.24%

Eggs

$3.57 JMD 562

$2.59 MX$45.26

37.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.09 JMD 1,744

$8.26 MX$144

34.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 JMD 996

$8.37 MX$146

-24.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 JMD 1,223

$10.66 MX$186

-27.11%

Apples (1kg)

$6.10 JMD 960

$2.63 MX$45.89

131.94%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 JMD 479

$1.49 MX$25.96

104.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 JMD 682

$1.92 MX$33.50

126.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 JMD 457

$2.09 MX$36.41

39.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 JMD 319

$1.86 MX$32.42

9.14%

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)

$1.46 JMD 229

$1.09 MX$18.98

33.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.92 JMD 1,403

$4.15 MX$72.4

114.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 JMD 1,824

$10.39 MX$181

11.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 JMD 453

$1.72 MX$30.09

67.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 JMD 481

$2.61 MX$45.60

17.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 JMD 178

$3.13 MX$54.6

-63.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 JMD 492

$2.51 MX$43.82

24.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 JMD 965

$3.15 MX$55.0

94.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 201

$1.27 MX$22.25

0.79%

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

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

$30.4K MX$530.1K

40.12%

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

$33.5K JMD 5.3M

$23.6K MX$411.3K

42.27%

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

$163 JMD 25.7K

$83.0 MX$1,449

96.53%

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

$22.15 JMD 3,484

$22.71 MX$396

-2.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 JMD 7,999

$29.46 MX$514

72.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.51 JMD 4,484

$51.0 MX$890

-44.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$13.05 JMD 2,052

$4.93 MX$86.0

164.71%

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

$223 JMD 35.1K

$197 MX$3,444

13.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,498 JMD 392.9K

$5,280 MX$92.1K

-52.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.62 JMD 4,030

$36.90 MX$644

-30.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.27 JMD 3,974

$39.89 MX$696

-36.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 JMD 11.1K

$80.0 MX$1,396

-11.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 JMD 12.1K

$89.5 MX$1,561

-13.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 JMD 50.0K

$956 MX$16.7K

-66.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 JMD 40.2K

$477 MX$8,327

-46.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$533 JMD 83.8K

$1,646 MX$28.7K

-67.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 JMD 72.8K

$1,225 MX$21.4K

-62.19%

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 Falmouth: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $318 in Falmouth versus $956 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 9% 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 $1,750 per month in Falmouth and $1,906 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 41% 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 $1,167, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $1,167 versus $1,271 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.