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: $2,316 in Freeport versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,584 in Freeport versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,852 in Freeport versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Freeport is roughly 79% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Freeport is 73% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.54 BSD 22.54

$11.73 MX$203

92.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 BSD 101

$41.62 MX$720

142.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 BSD 12.09

$10.64 MX$184

13.63%

Cappuccino

$5.57 BSD 5.57

$3.52 MX$60.9

58.24%

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

$2.19 BSD 2.19

$1.51 MX$26.12

45.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 BSD 1.60

$0.97 MX$16.84

64.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 BSD 4.58

$2.95 MX$51.0

55.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 BSD 8.08

$4.45 MX$77.0

81.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 BSD 1.80

$1.38 MX$23.93

30.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 BSD 3.71

$1.89 MX$32.72

96.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 BSD 5.42

$1.64 MX$28.32

230.49%

Eggs

$8.40 BSD 8.40

$2.51 MX$43.34

234.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 BSD 9.07

$8.34 MX$144

8.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 BSD 2.85

$1.46 MX$25.20

95.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

Tomato (1kg)

$6.72 BSD 6.72

$2.08 MX$35.91

223.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 BSD 2.23

$2.19 MX$37.80

1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.27 BSD 3.27

$1.04 MX$17.99

214.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 BSD 1.90

$1.08 MX$18.62

75.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$20.21 BSD 20.21

$10.32 MX$178

95.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.25 BSD 4.25

$1.71 MX$29.61

148.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 BSD 1.49

$0.51 MX$8.81

192.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 BSD 2.99

$3.26 MX$56.4

-8.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BSD 1.51

$1.31 MX$22.61

15.27%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$34.5K BSD 34.5K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

47.15%

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

$120 BSD 120

$82.9 MX$1,433

44.35%

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

$40.62 BSD 40.62

$22.22 MX$384

82.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 BSD 63.6

$29.34 MX$507

116.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.97 BSD 46.97

$51.6 MX$893

-9.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$376 BSD 376

$201 MX$3,473

87.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,032 BSD 8,032

$5,212 MX$90.1K

54.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.00 BSD 47.00

$36.92 MX$639

27.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.61 BSD 24.61

$39.79 MX$688

-38.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 BSD 94.8

$78.5 MX$1,357

20.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 BSD 79.5

$87.1 MX$1,506

-8.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 BSD 1,169

$973 MX$16.8K

20.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 BSD 1,302

$468 MX$8,090

178.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,113 BSD 2,113

$1,641 MX$28.4K

28.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,388 BSD 2,388

$1,221 MX$21.1K

95.63%

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)

$1,552 BSD 1,552

$664 MX$11.5K

133.76%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,169 in Freeport and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Freeport pays 134% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $101 in Freeport vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 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 79% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Freeport pays 134% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,169 in Freeport versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $376 in Freeport 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 Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $101 in Freeport. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,316 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 79% less than in Freeport. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.