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 $1,734 per month in Freetown vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,429 per month in Freetown vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,124 per month in Freetown vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Freetown costs about 33% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Freetown sits 26% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 SLL 46.1K

$11.96 MX$203

-83.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.33 SLL 897.6K

$47.38 MX$804

-16.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 SLL 253.7K

$11.75 MX$199

-5.45%

Cappuccino

$2.43 SLL 55.4K

$4.12 MX$70.0

-41.02%

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

$1.35 SLL 30.8K

$1.40 MX$23.74

-3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 SLL 16.7K

$0.91 MX$15.48

-19.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 SLL 44.8K

$3.21 MX$54.4

-38.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SLL 67.7K

$7.07 MX$120

-57.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.48 SLL 56.7K

$1.68 MX$28.44

47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 SLL 14.3K

$2.15 MX$36.48

-70.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 SLL 29.9K

$1.77 MX$30.10

-25.99%

Eggs

$1.83 SLL 41.8K

$2.82 MX$47.76

-35.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 SLL 162.4K

$9.20 MX$156

-22.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 SLL 227.0K

$9.23 MX$157

7.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.23 SLL 119.3K

$12.64 MX$214

-58.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 SLL 89.9K

$2.95 MX$50.1

33.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 SLL 44.6K

$1.58 MX$26.79

24.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 SLL 16.5K

$2.22 MX$37.70

-67.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 SLL 117.5K

$2.36 MX$40.09

118.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 SLL 46.3K

$1.99 MX$33.81

2.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 SLL 36.1K

$1.98 MX$33.58

-20.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 SLL 30.2K

$1.21 MX$20.55

9.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 SLL 66.7K

$4.60 MX$78.1

-36.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.59 SLL 173.3K

$10.52 MX$178

-27.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 SLL 27.9K

$1.69 MX$28.70

-27.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SLL 47.6K

$2.77 MX$47.06

-24.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 SLL 9,547

$0.60 MX$10.22

-30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 SLL 10.9K

$5.24 MX$88.8

-90.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 SLL 11.0K

$3.65 MX$61.9

-86.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 SLL 30.4K

$1.54 MX$26.09

-13.64%

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

$11.9K SLL 271.2M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-47.89%

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

$25.4K SLL 579.1M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-1.71%

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

$60.0 SLL 1.4M

$90.7 MX$1,538

-33.78%

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

$9.98 SLL 227.8K

$25.19 MX$427

-60.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.87 SLL 225.4K

$47.38 MX$804

-79.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.97 SLL 181.8K

$43.45 MX$737

-81.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$20.24 SLL 462.1K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-74.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.74 SLL 1.1M

$91.4 MX$1,550

-45.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 SLL 21.4M

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-13.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 SLL 28.7M

$409 MX$6,933

207.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,545 SLL 80.9M

$1,972 MX$33.5K

79.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,337 SLL 30.5M

$773 MX$13.1K

72.85%

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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $939 in Freetown versus $1,086 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 73% 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 $39.00 in Freetown versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $278 – 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

Freetown costs about 33% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,602 per month in Freetown and $1,958 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 $39.00 in Freetown and $47.00 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 $1,734 in Freetown and $1,305 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 $1,305, than in Freetown at $1,734. 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $1,734 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.