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: $892 in Fort Wellington versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,535 in Fort Wellington versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,177 in Fort Wellington versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fort Wellington costs roughly 31% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.10 GYD 2,516

$11.73 MX$203

3.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 GYD 14.8K

$41.62 MX$720

71.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 GYD 1,841

$10.64 MX$184

-16.73%

Cappuccino

$5.12 GYD 1,065

$3.52 MX$60.9

45.45%

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

$1.21 GYD 251

$1.51 MX$26.12

-19.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 GYD 144

$0.97 MX$16.84

-28.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 GYD 412

$2.95 MX$51.0

-32.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 GYD 501

$4.45 MX$77.0

-45.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.45 GYD 717

$1.38 MX$23.93

150.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 GYD 442

$1.89 MX$32.72

12.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 GYD 415

$1.64 MX$28.32

21.95%

Eggs

$4.11 GYD 855

$2.51 MX$43.34

63.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 GYD 2,838

$8.34 MX$144

63.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 GYD 1,300

$8.34 MX$144

-25.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.71 GYD 2,019

$10.73 MX$186

-9.51%

Apples (1kg)

$9.68 GYD 2,011

$2.60 MX$45.04

272.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 GYD 533

$1.46 MX$25.20

75.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 GYD 663

$1.90 MX$32.87

67.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.49 GYD 1,350

$2.08 MX$35.91

212.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 GYD 502

$1.78 MX$30.71

35.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 GYD 614

$2.19 MX$37.80

34.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 GYD 492

$1.04 MX$17.99

127.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 GYD 316

$1.08 MX$18.62

40.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 GYD 546

$4.08 MX$70.6

-35.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.98 GYD 3,531

$10.32 MX$178

64.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 GYD 366

$1.71 MX$29.61

2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 GYD 508

$2.58 MX$44.54

-5.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 GYD 633

$3.26 MX$56.4

-6.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.95 GYD 2,484

$3.25 MX$56.2

267.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 GYD 208

$1.31 MX$22.61

-23.66%

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

$21.9K GYD 4.6M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-27.60%

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

$17.3K GYD 3.6M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-26.04%

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

$90.6 GYD 18.8K

$82.9 MX$1,433

9.36%

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

$27.40 GYD 5,697

$22.22 MX$384

23.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 GYD 10.8K

$29.34 MX$507

77.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 GYD 1,408

$5.07 MX$87.6

33.53%

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

$1,007 GYD 209.3K

$201 MX$3,473

401.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K GYD 4.8M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

339.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.06 GYD 7,289

$36.92 MX$639

-5.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 GYD 11.2K

$39.79 MX$688

34.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 GYD 27.1K

$78.5 MX$1,357

66.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.2 GYD 15.8K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-12.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$981 GYD 203.9K

$664 MX$11.5K

47.70%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Fort Wellington pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Fort Wellington vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 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 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Fort Wellington pays 48% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $1,007 in Fort Wellington versus $201 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 $71.0 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $892 in Fort Wellington versus $1,297 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 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.