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 $1,931 per month in Freetown vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,686 per month in Freetown vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,441 per month in Freetown vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Freetown costs about 50% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Freetown sits 44% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 SLL 73.5K

$11.94 MX$208

-75.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.92 SLL 790.3K

$42.75 MX$744

-25.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 SLL 244.2K

$10.59 MX$184

-6.89%

Cappuccino

$1.75 SLL 43.4K

$3.62 MX$63.0

-51.66%

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

$1.00 SLL 24.8K

$1.47 MX$25.54

-31.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 SLL 22.5K

$0.94 MX$16.41

-3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 SLL 38.1K

$3.09 MX$53.8

-50.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 SLL 68.7K

$4.46 MX$77.6

-37.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 SLL 61.1K

$1.43 MX$24.80

72.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 SLL 16.9K

$1.88 MX$32.79

-63.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 SLL 33.6K

$1.63 MX$28.34

-16.56%

Eggs

$1.97 SLL 48.7K

$2.64 MX$45.99

-25.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 SLL 174.3K

$8.21 MX$143

-14.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.58 SLL 187.6K

$8.29 MX$144

-8.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 SLL 126.9K

$11.10 MX$193

-53.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 SLL 101.7K

$2.65 MX$46.14

55.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 SLL 50.0K

$1.50 MX$26.11

34.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 SLL 18.2K

$1.99 MX$34.59

-62.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 SLL 123.4K

$2.08 MX$36.13

139.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 SLL 50.1K

$1.79 MX$31.11

12.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 SLL 41.1K

$2.18 MX$37.87

-23.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 SLL 25.0K

$1.08 MX$18.73

-6.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SLL 35.1K

$1.04 MX$18.04

36.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 SLL 73.2K

$3.97 MX$69.1

-25.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 SLL 191.2K

$10.20 MX$178

-24.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 SLL 27.8K

$1.73 MX$30.04

-35.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SLL 49.5K

$2.50 MX$43.46

-20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 SLL 11.0K

$0.52 MX$9.02

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 SLL 18.2K

$3.14 MX$54.7

-76.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 SLL 30.6K

$2.40 MX$41.80

-48.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 SLL 125.2K

$3.09 MX$53.7

63.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 SLL 32.7K

$1.27 MX$22.16

3.94%

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

$11.9K SLL 293.6M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-61.60%

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

$24.7K SLL 611.7M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

5.97%

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

$143 SLL 3.5M

$82.0 MX$1,427

74.15%

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

$10.13 SLL 250.8K

$22.45 MX$391

-54.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.4 SLL 2.5M

$29.66 MX$516

235.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 SLL 1.3M

$51.9 MX$903

-2.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.96 SLL 246.7K

$36.34 MX$632

-72.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.03 SLL 198.9K

$40.05 MX$697

-79.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$20.25 SLL 501.4K

$79.9 MX$1,390

-74.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.2 SLL 1.2M

$88.9 MX$1,547

-43.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$807 SLL 20.0M

$963 MX$16.8K

-16.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 SLL 30.9M

$465 MX$8,086

168.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,143 SLL 53.1M

$1,596 MX$27.8K

34.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$98.6 SLL 2.4M

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-91.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,044 SLL 75.4M

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-22.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,740 SLL 43.1M

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-73.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,123 SLL 27.8M

$720 MX$12.5K

55.85%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $807 in Freetown versus $963 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 56% 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: $235 vs $251 – 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: $1,931 in Freetown, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 50% apart. Freetown costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,896 per month in Freetown and $1,930 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 $1,931 in Freetown and $1,287 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 $1,287, than in Freetown at $1,931. 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen to $1,931 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.