Cost of Living Comparison Between Fond du Sac and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Fond du Sac and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $616 in Fond du Sac versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,011 in Fond du Sac versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,405 in Fond du Sac versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fond du Sac costs roughly 51% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Fond du Sac 55% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fond du Sac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.75 MUR 273
$11.60 MX$199
-50.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.13 MUR 1,336
$47.11 MX$809
-40.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 MUR 358
$11.88 MX$204
-36.53%
Cappuccino
$2.62 MUR 124
$3.98 MX$68.2
-34.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 MUR 51.4
$1.43 MX$24.49
-24.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 MUR 31.08
$0.82 MX$14.16
-20.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.09 MUR 99.2
$3.19 MX$54.7
-34.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MUR 124
$6.79 MX$117
-61.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fond du Sac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 MUR 73.8
$1.68 MX$28.76
-7.74%
White Bread (500g)
$0.79 MUR 37.67
$2.20 MX$37.71
-64.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.11 MUR 52.6
$1.71 MX$29.32
-35.09%
Eggs
$2.67 MUR 127
$2.74 MX$47.05
-2.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.25 MUR 250
$9.58 MX$164
-45.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.56 MUR 312
$9.01 MX$155
-27.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.13 MUR 529
$12.81 MX$220
-13.11%
Apples (1kg)
$2.86 MUR 136
$2.89 MX$49.58
-1.04%
Banana (1kg)
$2.72 MUR 129
$1.50 MX$25.70
81.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.46 MUR 69.4
$2.15 MX$36.87
-32.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.99 MUR 142
$2.26 MX$38.79
32.30%
Potato (1kg)
$0.94 MUR 44.48
$1.98 MX$34.00
-52.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 MUR 47.34
$1.99 MX$34.15
-49.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.75 MUR 35.55
$1.23 MX$21.18
-39.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 MUR 40.04
$1.20 MX$20.54
-30.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.49 MUR 308
$4.55 MX$78.1
42.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.64 MUR 410
$10.37 MX$178
-16.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.64 MUR 77.8
$1.62 MX$27.79
1.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 MUR 113
$2.88 MX$49.44
-17.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Fond du Sac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.60 MX$10.30
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$28.80 MX$494
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.18 MUR 199
$5.39 MX$92.5
-22.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.12 MUR 148
$3.73 MX$64.0
-16.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.87 MUR 991
$5.77 MX$99.0
261.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.40 MUR 66.3
$1.54 MX$26.37
-9.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K MUR 1.7M
$22.5K MX$387.0K
60.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.4K MUR 1.5M
$26.1K MX$447.3K
20.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fond du Sac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$44.86 MUR 2,131
$91.4 MX$1,569
-50.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.58 MUR 408
$25.20 MX$433
-65.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.15 MUR 1,004
$31.24 MX$536
-32.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fond du Sac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$17.27 MUR 820
$67.2 MX$1,154
-74.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.11 MX$500
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.29 MUR 299
$4.86 MX$83.5
29.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fond du Sac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$127 MUR 6,030
$224 MX$3,839
-43.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,616 MUR 361.7K
$4,229 MX$72.6K
80.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fond du Sac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.7 MUR 3,739
$47.10 MX$808
67.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$74.6 MUR 3,544
$44.29 MX$760
68.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 MUR 5,616
$80.1 MX$1,375
47.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.1 MUR 3,757
$92.7 MX$1,591
-14.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fond du Sac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,063 MX$18.2K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$390 MX$6,698
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,149 MX$36.9K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,272 MX$21.8K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,001 MX$68.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,502 MX$111.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fond du Sac
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$758 MX$13.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
11.45
-41.75%

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

Last update for Fond du Sac: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $28.00 in Fond du Sac vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $276 per month, with Fond du Sac cheaper across the board.

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
Fond du Sac vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Fond du Sac?
Fond du Sac is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $925 in Fond du Sac and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do food prices compare in Fond du Sac and in Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Fond du Sac and in Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $616 per month in Fond du Sac versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Fond du Sac or in Playa del Carmen?
At $616 in Fond du Sac versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fond du Sac but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Fond du Sac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Fond du Sac or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Fond du Sac is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Fond du Sac or Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Fond du Sac and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Fond du Sac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Fond du Sac vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities