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 $891 per month in Gordon Town vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,449 per month in Gordon Town vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,008 per month in Gordon Town vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Gordon Town is about 29% 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 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.68 JMD 1,210

$11.99 MX$210

-35.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 JMD 10.0K

$41.78 MX$733

52.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 JMD 1,353

$10.75 MX$189

-20.09%

Cappuccino

$4.38 JMD 690

$3.50 MX$61.3

25.14%

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

$1.31 JMD 207

$1.45 MX$25.41

-9.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 112

$0.88 MX$15.52

-19.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 JMD 403

$2.95 MX$51.7

-13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 JMD 489

$4.51 MX$79.1

-31.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.21 JMD 663

$1.43 MX$25.12

194.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 JMD 574

$1.84 MX$32.23

97.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 JMD 245

$1.57 MX$27.51

-1.27%

Eggs

$3.58 JMD 565

$2.51 MX$44.06

42.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 JMD 1,749

$8.28 MX$145

34.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 JMD 1,029

$8.43 MX$148

-22.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 JMD 1,211

$10.68 MX$187

-28.00%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 JMD 967

$2.61 MX$45.76

135.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 JMD 472

$1.44 MX$25.22

107.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 JMD 674

$1.96 MX$34.41

118.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 JMD 466

$2.09 MX$36.74

41.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 JMD 333

$1.85 MX$32.47

14.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 JMD 302

$2.17 MX$38.02

-11.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 JMD 491

$1.03 MX$18.09

202.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 JMD 229

$1.07 MX$18.84

36.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.58 JMD 1,353

$4.10 MX$72.0

109.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.12 JMD 1,753

$10.17 MX$178

9.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 JMD 450

$1.68 MX$29.38

69.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 JMD 480

$2.53 MX$44.31

20.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 177

$3.23 MX$56.7

-65.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.11 JMD 490

$2.41 MX$42.19

29.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 JMD 983

$3.23 MX$56.6

93.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 201

$1.32 MX$23.17

-3.03%

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

$42.1K JMD 6.6M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

41.66%

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

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

42.22%

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

$164 JMD 25.8K

$82.0 MX$1,439

99.72%

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

$22.15 JMD 3,491

$22.95 MX$403

-3.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 JMD 7,965

$30.11 MX$528

67.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$13.32 JMD 2,099

$4.98 MX$87.3

167.47%

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

$227 JMD 35.8K

$197 MX$3,463

15.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,512 JMD 395.8K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-52.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.94 JMD 4,088

$35.60 MX$624

-27.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.78 JMD 4,062

$40.33 MX$707

-36.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 JMD 11.0K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-11.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 JMD 11.8K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-15.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Gordon Town versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 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 41%, 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 $1,337 per month in Gordon Town and $1,884 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 $64.0 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 $891, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.