Cost of Living Comparison Between Frederiksted and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Frederiksted and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $350 per month in Frederiksted vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $753 per month in Frederiksted vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,156 per month in Frederiksted vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Frederiksted is about 73% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Frederiksted and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Frederiksted 74% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.03 $30.03

$11.94 MX$209

151.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 $81.2

$42.75 MX$748

90.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.84 $6.84

$3.09 MX$54.1

121.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$4.46 MX$78.0

76.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

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

$22.45 MX$393

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 $60.6

$51.9 MX$908

16.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 $1,356

$963 MX$16.9K

40.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Frederiksted: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,356 in Frederiksted 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 $81.0 in Frederiksted versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 267%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $525 per month in Frederiksted and $1,930 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 Frederiksted, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $350 in Frederiksted and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Frederiksted and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Frederiksted, where all-in costs run around $350, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Frederiksted it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Frederiksted – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Frederiksted. 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.