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: $2,292 in Freeport versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,601 in Freeport versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,910 in Freeport versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Freeport is roughly 82% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Freeport is 72% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.32 BSD 22.32

$11.99 MX$210

86.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 BSD 102

$41.78 MX$733

143.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 BSD 11.96

$10.75 MX$189

11.26%

Cappuccino

$5.37 BSD 5.37

$3.50 MX$61.3

53.43%

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

$2.21 BSD 2.21

$1.45 MX$25.41

52.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 BSD 1.64

$0.88 MX$15.52

86.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 BSD 4.51

$2.95 MX$51.7

52.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.83 BSD 7.83

$4.51 MX$79.1

73.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 BSD 1.73

$1.43 MX$25.12

20.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 BSD 3.73

$1.84 MX$32.23

102.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.45 BSD 5.45

$1.57 MX$27.51

247.13%

Eggs

$8.15 BSD 8.15

$2.51 MX$44.06

224.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 BSD 8.94

$8.28 MX$145

7.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 BSD 2.92

$1.44 MX$25.22

102.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 BSD 6.47

$2.09 MX$36.74

209.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 BSD 2.26

$2.17 MX$38.02

4.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.27 BSD 3.27

$1.03 MX$18.09

217.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 BSD 1.85

$1.07 MX$18.84

72.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

Wine (Bottle)

$20.14 BSD 20.14

$10.17 MX$178

98.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.25 BSD 4.25

$1.68 MX$29.38

152.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 BSD 1.46

$0.51 MX$8.93

186.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 BSD 2.97

$3.23 MX$56.7

-8.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BSD 1.50

$1.32 MX$23.17

13.64%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

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

$35.5K BSD 35.5K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

50.02%

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

$119 BSD 119

$82.0 MX$1,439

44.92%

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

$40.10 BSD 40.10

$22.95 MX$403

74.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.2 BSD 65.2

$30.11 MX$528

116.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.01 BSD 48.01

$52.0 MX$912

-7.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

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

$375 BSD 375

$197 MX$3,463

90.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,875 BSD 7,875

$5,336 MX$93.6K

47.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.67 BSD 46.67

$35.60 MX$624

31.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.31 BSD 25.31

$40.33 MX$707

-37.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 BSD 95.1

$78.8 MX$1,381

20.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 BSD 78.8

$88.9 MX$1,560

-11.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,191 BSD 1,191

$947 MX$16.6K

25.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 BSD 1,306

$474 MX$8,314

175.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 BSD 2,103

$1,644 MX$28.8K

27.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 BSD 2,407

$1,211 MX$21.2K

98.85%

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)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.38

11.42

-9.11%

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

Last update for Freeport: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,191 in Freeport and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $102 in Freeport vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 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

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

Freeport and Playa del Carmen differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($2,292 vs $1,256 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 $3,438 in Freeport and $1,884 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: $1,191 in Freeport versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $375 in Freeport 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 Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $102 in Freeport. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,292 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 82% less than in Freeport. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.