Cost of Living Comparison Between Gordon Town and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Gordon Town and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $886 per month in Gordon Town vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,422 per month in Gordon Town vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,958 per month in Gordon Town vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Gordon Town is about 32% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Gordon Town and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Gordon Town 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 JMD 1,214

$11.73 MX$203

-34.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 JMD 9,974

$41.62 MX$721

52.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 JMD 1,372

$10.64 MX$184

-17.95%

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 691

$3.52 MX$61.0

24.72%

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

$1.37 JMD 215

$1.51 MX$26.17

-9.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 JMD 110

$0.97 MX$16.87

-27.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 JMD 403

$2.95 MX$51.1

-13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 JMD 479

$4.45 MX$77.2

-31.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.39 JMD 690

$1.38 MX$23.97

218.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 JMD 548

$1.89 MX$32.78

84.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 JMD 253

$1.64 MX$28.37

-1.83%

Eggs

$3.48 JMD 547

$2.51 MX$43.42

38.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 JMD 1,750

$8.34 MX$145

33.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 JMD 1,027

$8.34 MX$145

-21.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.45 JMD 1,171

$10.73 MX$186

-30.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.98 JMD 941

$2.60 MX$45.12

130.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 JMD 468

$1.46 MX$25.25

104.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 JMD 647

$1.90 MX$32.94

116.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 JMD 482

$2.08 MX$35.98

47.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 JMD 332

$1.78 MX$30.77

18.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 314

$2.19 MX$37.87

-8.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 JMD 475

$1.04 MX$18.02

190.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 234

$1.08 MX$18.66

37.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.69 JMD 1,367

$4.08 MX$70.7

112.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 JMD 1,779

$10.32 MX$179

9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 JMD 440

$1.71 MX$29.67

63.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 JMD 486

$2.58 MX$44.63

19.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 JMD 178

$3.26 MX$56.5

-65.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 JMD 487

$2.49 MX$43.17

24.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 JMD 1,007

$3.25 MX$56.3

96.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 193

$1.31 MX$22.65

-6.11%

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

$42.2K JMD 6.6M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

39.27%

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

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

43.81%

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

$163 JMD 25.6K

$82.9 MX$1,436

96.66%

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

$21.76 JMD 3,421

$22.22 MX$385

-2.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 JMD 8,061

$29.34 MX$508

74.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$13.00 JMD 2,044

$5.07 MX$87.8

156.41%

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

$226 JMD 35.6K

$201 MX$3,480

12.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,513 JMD 395.2K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-51.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.73 JMD 4,046

$36.92 MX$640

-30.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.31 JMD 3,980

$39.79 MX$689

-36.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 JMD 11.0K

$78.5 MX$1,360

-10.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

$87.1 MX$1,509

-13.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.42

-19.88%

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

Last update for Gordon Town: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Gordon Town versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 46%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,329 per month in Gordon Town and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Gordon Town and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 41% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gordon Town, where all-in costs run around $886, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Gordon Town it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gordon Town – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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