Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Freetown and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,778 in Freetown, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Freetown outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

Freetown

🇸🇱 Sierra Leone

$1,778

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Freetown and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Freetown and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,778 per month in Freetown vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Freetown $1,778
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $1,510 per month in Freetown vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Freetown $1,510
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1,242 per month in Freetown vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Freetown $1,242
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Freetown costs about 48% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Freetown sits 31% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 SLL 46.9K

$10.92 MX$205

-81.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.83 SLL 908.4K

$43.37 MX$813

-8.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 SLL 251.7K

$11.78 MX$221

-6.28%

Cappuccino

$2.79 SLL 63.6K

$3.81 MX$71.4

-26.77%

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

$1.81 SLL 41.4K

$1.28 MX$24.04

41.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 SLL 20.3K

$0.78 MX$14.68

14.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 SLL 52.6K

$3.17 MX$59.4

-27.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 SLL 79.5K

$4.93 MX$92.5

-29.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 SLL 54.3K

$1.41 MX$26.37

68.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 SLL 14.4K

$2.22 MX$41.57

-71.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 SLL 28.8K

$1.42 MX$26.57

-11.27%

Eggs

$1.85 SLL 42.2K

$2.52 MX$47.30

-26.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.19 SLL 164.0K

$7.26 MX$136

-0.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 SLL 227.4K

$7.70 MX$144

29.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.35 SLL 122.1K

$12.69 MX$238

-57.84%

Apples (1kg)

$6.80 SLL 155.1K

$2.78 MX$52.2

144.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 SLL 66.6K

$1.37 MX$25.65

113.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 SLL 15.6K

$2.55 MX$47.83

-73.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 SLL 112.1K

$2.12 MX$39.81

132.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 SLL 44.5K

$1.94 MX$36.34

0.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SLL 36.4K

$1.89 MX$35.36

-15.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 SLL 25.3K

$1.18 MX$22.11

-5.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 SLL 69.2K

$4.30 MX$80.5

-29.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 SLL 182.9K

$9.95 MX$187

-19.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 SLL 35.2K

$1.58 MX$29.69

-2.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 SLL 46.3K

$2.67 MX$50.1

-23.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 SLL 9,487

$0.55 MX$10.37

-23.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$499

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 SLL 10.9K

$4.97 MX$93.2

-90.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 SLL 11.0K

$3.33 MX$62.5

-85.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$100

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 SLL 30.7K

$1.44 MX$27.07

-6.25%

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

$11.8K SLL 268.5M

$20.7K MX$387.5K

-43.03%

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

$25.1K SLL 571.7M

$23.5K MX$440.0K

6.83%

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

$59.2 SLL 1.3M

$84.8 MX$1,590

-30.20%

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

$10.10 SLL 230.3K

$23.41 MX$439

-56.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 SLL 1.3M

$28.66 MX$537

94.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,070

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$542

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$96.4

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

$207 MX$3,873

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.09 SLL 230.1K

$43.35 MX$813

-76.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$777

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$20.05 SLL 457.3K

$74.2 MX$1,391

-72.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 SLL 1.2M

$89.3 MX$1,673

-42.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$942 SLL 21.5M

$980 MX$18.4K

-3.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 SLL 28.3M

$381 MX$7,140

225.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,508 SLL 80.0M

$1,708 MX$32.0K

105.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$73.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,332 SLL 30.4M

$735 MX$13.8K

81.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Freetown: October 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Freetown

–

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Groceries & Markets

Freetown

–

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Eating Out

Freetown

–

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Freetown

–

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Freetown

–

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Freetown

–

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Getting Around

Freetown

–

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $942 in Freetown versus $980 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 81% higher in Freetown. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Freetown versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $259 in Freetown vs $255 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇸🇱 Freetown

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

09:50 9:50 AM

04:50 4:50 AM

5 h behind Freetown

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

951,000 Capital

149,923

💱 Currency

Sierra Leonean Leone SLL Le

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 SLL = 4.38 USD

100,000 SLL = 3.92 EUR

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to SLL – Sierra Leonean Leone Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇱 Sierra Leonean Leone (Le)

Sierra Leonean Leone exchange rates as of October 30, 2026: 1 USD = 22,807 SLL (100,000 SLL = 4.38 USD). 1 EUR = 25,512 SLL (100,000 SLL = 3.92 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 30, 2026: 1 USD = 18.75 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.97 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to SLL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Freetown Playa del Carmen 8,000 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Freetown
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $1,778 in Freetown, $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – Playa del Carmen comes out roughly 32% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,667 per month in Freetown and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $942 in Freetown and $980 in Playa del Carmen. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,778 in Freetown and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 32% cheaper.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Freetown and $43 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Freetown at $1,778. 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 $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,778 in Freetown. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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