Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Wellington and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Wellington and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $894 in Fort Wellington versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,533 in Fort Wellington versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,171 in Fort Wellington versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fort Wellington costs roughly 29% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Fort Wellington 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.97 GYD 2,489

$11.99 MX$210

-0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.6 GYD 14.9K

$41.78 MX$733

71.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.37 GYD 1,741

$10.75 MX$189

-22.14%

Cappuccino

$5.17 GYD 1,075

$3.50 MX$61.3

47.71%

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

$1.24 GYD 258

$1.45 MX$25.41

-14.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 GYD 147

$0.88 MX$15.52

-19.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 GYD 427

$2.95 MX$51.7

-30.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 GYD 491

$4.51 MX$79.1

-47.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.33 GYD 692

$1.43 MX$25.12

132.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 GYD 442

$1.84 MX$32.23

15.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 GYD 411

$1.57 MX$27.51

26.11%

Eggs

$4.20 GYD 874

$2.51 MX$44.06

67.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.67 GYD 2,842

$8.28 MX$145

65.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 GYD 1,296

$8.43 MX$148

-26.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 GYD 1,960

$10.68 MX$187

-11.80%

Apples (1kg)

$9.40 GYD 1,955

$2.61 MX$45.76

260.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 GYD 556

$1.44 MX$25.22

85.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 GYD 688

$1.96 MX$34.41

68.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.54 GYD 1,360

$2.09 MX$36.74

212.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 GYD 498

$1.85 MX$32.47

29.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 GYD 602

$2.17 MX$38.02

33.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 GYD 471

$1.03 MX$18.09

120.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 GYD 302

$1.07 MX$18.84

35.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 GYD 533

$4.10 MX$72.0

-37.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.74 GYD 3,481

$10.17 MX$178

64.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 GYD 349

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 GYD 508

$2.53 MX$44.31

-3.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 GYD 658

$3.23 MX$56.7

-2.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.92 GYD 2,479

$3.23 MX$56.6

269.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 GYD 212

$1.32 MX$23.17

-22.73%

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

$22.2K GYD 4.6M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-25.08%

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

$17.5K GYD 3.6M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-25.98%

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

$90.1 GYD 18.7K

$82.0 MX$1,439

9.88%

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

$27.08 GYD 5,631

$22.95 MX$403

18.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 GYD 10.5K

$30.11 MX$528

68.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 GYD 1,389

$4.98 MX$87.3

34.14%

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

$1,008 GYD 209.6K

$197 MX$3,463

410.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K GYD 4.8M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

328.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.12 GYD 7,097

$35.60 MX$624

-4.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 GYD 11.1K

$40.33 MX$707

32.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 GYD 26.4K

$78.8 MX$1,381

61.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.2 GYD 15.8K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-14.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$972 GYD 202.2K

$654 MX$11.5K

48.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

11.42

-34.33%

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

Last update for Fort Wellington: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Fort Wellington pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $72.0 in Fort Wellington vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Fort Wellington is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 49% higher in Fort Wellington, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $1,008 in Fort Wellington versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort Wellington – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $894 in Fort Wellington versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fort Wellington but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Fort Wellington the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fort Wellington 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.

Safety-wise, Fort Wellington 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.

Expats usually find Fort Wellington gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.