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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,970 per month in Freetown vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,723 per month in Freetown vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,475 per month in Freetown vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Freetown costs about 55% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Freetown sits 47% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 SLL 67.5K

$11.87 MX$204

-74.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.35 SLL 734.6K

$42.90 MX$736

-24.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 SLL 231.1K

$10.65 MX$183

-4.41%

Cappuccino

$1.77 SLL 40.1K

$3.45 MX$59.2

-48.70%

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

$1.05 SLL 23.8K

$1.50 MX$25.81

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 SLL 19.2K

$0.95 MX$16.28

-10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 SLL 33.4K

$3.03 MX$51.9

-51.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SLL 61.2K

$4.61 MX$79.1

-41.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 SLL 56.0K

$1.38 MX$23.61

78.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 SLL 14.5K

$1.85 MX$31.70

-65.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 SLL 30.4K

$1.61 MX$27.65

-16.77%

Eggs

$2.04 SLL 46.3K

$2.59 MX$44.51

-21.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 SLL 165.4K

$8.26 MX$142

-11.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SLL 166.3K

$8.37 MX$144

-12.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 SLL 116.4K

$10.66 MX$183

-51.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 SLL 89.4K

$2.63 MX$45.12

49.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 SLL 46.0K

$1.49 MX$25.53

36.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 SLL 15.8K

$1.92 MX$32.94

-64.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.01 SLL 113.9K

$2.09 MX$35.81

139.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 SLL 46.1K

$1.86 MX$31.88

9.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 SLL 37.9K

$2.26 MX$38.81

-26.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 SLL 22.4K

$1.06 MX$18.23

-7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 SLL 31.2K

$1.09 MX$18.67

26.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 SLL 68.5K

$4.15 MX$71.2

-27.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.51 SLL 170.5K

$10.39 MX$178

-27.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 SLL 26.2K

$1.72 MX$29.59

-33.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SLL 45.5K

$2.61 MX$44.85

-23.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 SLL 10.7K

$0.54 MX$9.30

-12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 SLL 17.5K

$3.13 MX$53.7

-75.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 SLL 29.1K

$2.51 MX$43.09

-49.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 SLL 116.8K

$3.15 MX$54.1

63.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 SLL 31.0K

$1.27 MX$21.88

7.09%

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

$11.8K SLL 268.2M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-61.11%

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

$25.2K SLL 572.2M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

6.92%

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

$147 SLL 3.3M

$83.0 MX$1,425

77.08%

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

$9.82 SLL 223.0K

$22.71 MX$390

-56.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 SLL 2.3M

$29.46 MX$506

244.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 SLL 1.1M

$51.0 MX$875

-0.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.13 SLL 230.1K

$36.90 MX$633

-72.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.82 SLL 177.5K

$39.89 MX$685

-80.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.62 SLL 445.6K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-75.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.12 SLL 1.1M

$89.5 MX$1,536

-45.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 SLL 18.9M

$956 MX$16.4K

-12.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 SLL 28.1M

$477 MX$8,189

159.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 SLL 48.1M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

28.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.4 SLL 2.3M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-91.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,327 SLL 30.1M

$667 MX$11.4K

99.00%

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 Freetown: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $832 in Freetown versus $956 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.

Salaries run about 99% higher in Freetown, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Freetown versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $250 – making Freetown the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,970 in Freetown, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 55% apart. Freetown costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,955 per month in Freetown and $1,906 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Freetown and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,970 in Freetown and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Freetown at $1,970. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Freetown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $1,970 in Freetown. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Freetown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.