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 $1,981 per month in Freetown vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,705 per month in Freetown vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,429 per month in Freetown vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Freetown costs about 57% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Freetown sits 49% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 SLL 67.3K

$11.72 MX$204

-74.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.56 SLL 741.3K

$41.89 MX$731

-22.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 SLL 225.3K

$10.51 MX$183

-5.80%

Cappuccino

$1.77 SLL 40.3K

$3.59 MX$62.5

-50.70%

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

$1.00 SLL 22.8K

$1.51 MX$26.31

-33.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 SLL 21.1K

$0.92 MX$15.96

1.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 SLL 33.9K

$2.96 MX$51.6

-49.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 SLL 62.5K

$4.41 MX$76.9

-37.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 SLL 55.7K

$1.40 MX$24.35

75.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 SLL 14.8K

$1.88 MX$32.87

-65.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 SLL 30.0K

$1.56 MX$27.19

-15.38%

Eggs

$1.99 SLL 45.3K

$2.61 MX$45.50

-23.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.13 SLL 162.2K

$8.32 MX$145

-14.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 SLL 174.7K

$8.35 MX$146

-8.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.17 SLL 117.7K

$10.86 MX$189

-52.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 SLL 93.1K

$2.71 MX$47.31

50.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 SLL 46.1K

$1.51 MX$26.25

33.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 SLL 15.6K

$1.87 MX$32.67

-63.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 SLL 111.2K

$2.19 MX$38.19

122.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 SLL 45.9K

$1.86 MX$32.40

8.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 SLL 37.5K

$2.23 MX$38.90

-26.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 SLL 23.2K

$1.07 MX$18.63

-4.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 SLL 32.8K

$1.09 MX$18.94

32.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 SLL 69.9K

$4.19 MX$73.0

-26.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.34 SLL 167.1K

$10.43 MX$182

-29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 SLL 26.4K

$1.66 MX$28.91

-30.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SLL 45.9K

$2.61 MX$45.56

-22.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 SLL 10.1K

$0.54 MX$9.45

-18.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 SLL 16.4K

$3.08 MX$53.7

-76.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 SLL 29.1K

$2.40 MX$41.94

-46.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 SLL 113.4K

$3.13 MX$54.5

59.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 SLL 29.9K

$1.31 MX$22.87

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

$12.2K SLL 277.2M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-59.16%

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

$25.0K SLL 569.3M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

7.22%

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

$145 SLL 3.3M

$81.3 MX$1,418

78.31%

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

$10.15 SLL 231.1K

$22.56 MX$393

-55.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$98.8 SLL 2.3M

$30.05 MX$524

228.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.03 SLL 1.1M

$52.9 MX$923

-7.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

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

$201 MX$3,502

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.97 SLL 226.9K

$35.92 MX$627

-72.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.96 SLL 181.1K

$40.13 MX$700

-80.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.68 SLL 448.2K

$79.7 MX$1,390

-75.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 SLL 1.1M

$86.5 MX$1,508

-41.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 SLL 18.4M

$978 MX$17.1K

-17.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 SLL 29.1M

$470 MX$8,206

172.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,104 SLL 47.9M

$1,651 MX$28.8K

27.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.6 SLL 2.3M

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-91.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,334 SLL 30.4M

$677 MX$11.8K

97.08%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $808 in Freetown versus $978 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 97% 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 $33.00 in Freetown versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $252 – 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: $1,981 in Freetown, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 57% apart. Freetown costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,972 per month in Freetown and $1,890 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 $33.00 in Freetown and $42.00 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 $1,981 in Freetown and $1,260 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 $1,260, than in Freetown at $1,981. 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen to $1,981 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.