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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,546 in Freeport versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,074 in Freeport versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,602 in Freeport versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Freeport is roughly 97% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Freeport is 85% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$46.85 BSD 46.85

$11.71 MX$199

300.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 BSD 102

$46.59 MX$791

118.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.28 BSD 12.28

$11.65 MX$198

5.41%

Cappuccino

$6.85 BSD 6.85

$4.09 MX$69.5

67.48%

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

$3.09 BSD 3.09

$1.37 MX$23.34

125.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 BSD 2.85

$0.83 MX$14.16

243.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.80 BSD 4.80

$3.35 MX$56.9

43.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 BSD 6.81

$6.91 MX$117

-1.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 BSD 2.50

$1.73 MX$29.33

44.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.24 BSD 3.24

$2.26 MX$38.39

43.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.70 BSD 6.70

$1.77 MX$30.05

278.53%

Eggs

$10.10 BSD 10.10

$2.73 MX$46.41

269.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 BSD 12.54

$9.18 MX$156

36.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$214

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.3

Banana (1kg)

$4.29 BSD 4.29

$1.57 MX$26.68

173.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$13.02 BSD 13.02

$2.13 MX$36.10

511.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$11.04 BSD 11.04

$2.26 MX$38.46

388.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.04

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.06

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.94 BSD 4.94

$1.18 MX$20.04

318.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 BSD 3.46

$1.20 MX$20.45

188.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.01 BSD 15.01

$4.63 MX$78.7

224.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.32 BSD 20.32

$10.69 MX$182

90.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 BSD 1.54

$1.55 MX$26.38

-0.65%

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

$22.3K MX$379.2K

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

$35.5K BSD 35.5K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

36.84%

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

$348 BSD 348

$89.1 MX$1,514

290.26%

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

$63.8 BSD 63.8

$25.04 MX$425

154.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 BSD 74.3

$31.50 MX$535

135.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 BSD 63.2

$67.8 MX$1,151

-6.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.8 BSD 50.8

$28.92 MX$491

75.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.8

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

$630 BSD 630

$225 MX$3,820

180.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,528 BSD 8,528

$4,222 MX$71.7K

101.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.87 BSD 49.87

$47.44 MX$806

5.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 BSD 89.5

$82.0 MX$1,392

9.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.4 BSD 60.4

$92.1 MX$1,564

-34.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 BSD 983

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-8.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$911 BSD 911

$405 MX$6,884

124.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,219 BSD 2,219

$1,935 MX$32.9K

14.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 BSD 1,988

$1,301 MX$22.1K

52.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

31.00%

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

Last update for Freeport: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $983 in Freeport and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $102 in Freeport vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $277 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

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

Freeport and Playa del Carmen differ by about 97% in total monthly costs ($2,546 vs $1,293 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,818 in Freeport and $1,940 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $983 in Freeport versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $630 in Freeport versus $225 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 Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $102 in Freeport. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,546 in Freeport, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Freeport. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Freeport. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.