Cost of Living Comparison Between Linstead and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Linstead and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $885 per month in Linstead vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,459 per month in Linstead vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,033 per month in Linstead vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Linstead is about 30% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Linstead and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Linstead 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 JMD 1,153

$11.99 MX$210

-38.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.8 JMD 9,899

$41.78 MX$733

50.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.71 JMD 1,373

$10.75 MX$189

-18.98%

Cappuccino

$4.38 JMD 691

$3.50 MX$61.3

25.14%

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

$1.35 JMD 213

$1.45 MX$25.41

-6.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 120

$0.88 MX$15.52

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 JMD 403

$2.95 MX$51.7

-13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 JMD 498

$4.51 MX$79.1

-29.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.37 JMD 689

$1.43 MX$25.12

205.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 JMD 556

$1.84 MX$32.23

91.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 JMD 255

$1.57 MX$27.51

3.18%

Eggs

$3.48 JMD 548

$2.51 MX$44.06

38.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 JMD 1,757

$8.28 MX$145

34.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 JMD 1,026

$8.43 MX$148

-22.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 JMD 1,222

$10.68 MX$187

-27.34%

Apples (1kg)

$6.05 JMD 954

$2.61 MX$45.76

131.80%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 JMD 474

$1.44 MX$25.22

109.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 JMD 671

$1.96 MX$34.41

117.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 JMD 482

$2.09 MX$36.74

46.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 JMD 327

$1.85 MX$32.47

11.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 317

$2.17 MX$38.02

-7.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 JMD 491

$1.03 MX$18.09

201.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 JMD 230

$1.07 MX$18.84

36.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.96 JMD 1,413

$4.10 MX$72.0

118.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.50 JMD 1,813

$10.17 MX$178

13.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 JMD 458

$1.68 MX$29.38

73.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 JMD 484

$2.53 MX$44.31

21.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 JMD 119

$0.51 MX$8.93

49.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 JMD 176

$3.23 MX$56.7

-65.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.24 JMD 510

$2.41 MX$42.19

34.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 JMD 962

$3.23 MX$56.6

88.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 194

$1.32 MX$23.17

-6.82%

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

$43.3K JMD 6.8M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

45.87%

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

$33.9K JMD 5.3M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

43.07%

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

$163 JMD 25.7K

$82.0 MX$1,439

98.65%

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

$22.00 JMD 3,467

$22.95 MX$403

-4.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 JMD 8,020

$30.11 MX$528

69.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$13.39 JMD 2,109

$4.98 MX$87.3

168.88%

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

$228 JMD 36.0K

$197 MX$3,463

15.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,519 JMD 396.9K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-52.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.43 JMD 4,165

$35.60 MX$624

-25.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.42 JMD 4,006

$40.33 MX$707

-36.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 JMD 11.2K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-9.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 JMD 11.8K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-15.72%

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 Linstead: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Linstead versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 42% more than Linstead, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,328 per month in Linstead 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 $63.0 in Linstead 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 42% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Linstead, where all-in costs run around $885, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Linstead it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Linstead costs $885 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Linstead. 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.