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 $1,048 per month in Gordon Town vs $1,239 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,705 per month in Gordon Town vs $2,168 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,362 per month in Gordon Town vs $3,096 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Gordon Town is about 15% 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 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.09 JMD 2,543

$11.17 MX$202

44.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 JMD 12.0K

$44.61 MX$806

70.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.62 JMD 1,362

$11.91 MX$215

-27.62%

Cappuccino

$5.19 JMD 820

$3.81 MX$68.9

36.22%

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

$1.15 JMD 182

$1.38 MX$24.86

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 JMD 107

$0.80 MX$14.39

-15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 JMD 358

$3.12 MX$56.3

-27.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 JMD 504

$4.97 MX$89.8

-35.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.20 JMD 664

$1.51 MX$27.30

178.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 JMD 581

$2.25 MX$40.59

63.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 JMD 261

$1.51 MX$27.23

9.27%

Eggs

$3.47 JMD 549

$2.46 MX$44.52

41.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 JMD 1,842

$7.50 MX$136

55.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 JMD 995

$8.07 MX$146

-21.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.23 JMD 1,617

$13.08 MX$236

-21.79%

Apples (1kg)

$6.11 JMD 966

$2.83 MX$51.2

115.90%

Banana (1kg)

$3.98 JMD 629

$1.47 MX$26.66

170.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.59 JMD 1,199

$2.69 MX$48.68

182.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.10 JMD 490

$2.08 MX$37.58

49.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 JMD 498

$1.96 MX$35.36

60.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 JMD 416

$2.01 MX$36.34

30.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.17 JMD 500

$1.21 MX$21.87

161.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 JMD 231

$1.23 MX$22.24

18.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.72 JMD 1,535

$4.46 MX$80.7

117.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.58 JMD 1,830

$9.98 MX$180

16.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 JMD 463

$1.63 MX$29.49

79.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 JMD 641

$2.80 MX$50.6

45.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MX$10.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.28 MX$511

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 JMD 195

$4.85 MX$87.7

-74.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.20 JMD 506

$3.50 MX$63.2

-8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.42 JMD 1,014

$5.65 MX$102

13.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 JMD 212

$1.46 MX$26.31

-8.22%

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

$44.3K JMD 7.0M

$21.4K MX$386.7K

107.26%

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

$32.8K JMD 5.2M

$24.0K MX$433.6K

36.62%

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

$173 JMD 27.3K

$86.3 MX$1,560

100.28%

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

$29.87 JMD 4,719

$23.96 MX$433

24.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 JMD 8,390

$28.93 MX$523

83.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 MX$1,168

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.07 MX$525

Cinema Ticket

$13.19 JMD 2,084

$5.13 MX$92.7

157.12%

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

$363 JMD 57.4K

$211 MX$3,820

71.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,095 JMD 1.3M

$4,045 MX$73.1K

100.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.55 JMD 3,720

$44.23 MX$799

-46.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.40 JMD 4,961

$43.35 MX$784

-27.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 JMD 12.5K

$76.9 MX$1,390

2.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 JMD 16.1K

$88.4 MX$1,598

15.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$996 MX$18.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 MX$6,843

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 MX$31.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 MX$20.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 MX$72.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,392 MX$115.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 MX$13.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

11.45

-17.47%

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

Last update for Gordon Town: September 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Gordon Town versus $45.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $388 vs $263 – 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 18%, 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 $1,571 per month in Gordon Town and $1,859 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 $76.0 in Gordon Town and $45.00 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 47% 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 $1,048, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,239. 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.