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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $810 in Mandeville versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Mandeville versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Mandeville versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mandeville costs roughly 38% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mandeville 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.21 JMD 975

$11.96 MX$203

-48.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 JMD 11.6K

$47.38 MX$804

55.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 JMD 1,404

$11.75 MX$199

-23.91%

Cappuccino

$2.20 JMD 345

$4.12 MX$70.0

-46.60%

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

$1.08 JMD 170

$1.40 MX$23.74

-22.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 JMD 116

$0.91 MX$15.48

-18.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 JMD 338

$3.21 MX$54.4

-33.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 JMD 457

$7.07 MX$120

-58.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.12 JMD 648

$1.68 MX$28.44

145.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 JMD 293

$2.15 MX$36.48

-13.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 JMD 251

$1.77 MX$30.10

-9.60%

Eggs

$3.62 JMD 569

$2.82 MX$47.76

28.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 JMD 1,775

$9.20 MX$156

22.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 JMD 1,020

$9.23 MX$157

-29.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 JMD 1,623

$12.64 MX$214

-18.28%

Apples (1kg)

$6.25 JMD 982

$2.95 MX$50.1

111.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.86 JMD 607

$1.58 MX$26.79

144.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.40 JMD 1,163

$2.22 MX$37.70

233.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 493

$2.36 MX$40.09

33.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 JMD 512

$1.99 MX$33.81

63.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 JMD 422

$1.98 MX$33.58

35.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 JMD 489

$1.24 MX$21.04

150.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 JMD 239

$1.21 MX$20.55

25.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.13 JMD 1,276

$4.60 MX$78.1

76.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.35 JMD 1,783

$10.52 MX$178

7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 JMD 448

$1.69 MX$28.70

68.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 JMD 646

$2.77 MX$47.06

48.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 JMD 187

$5.24 MX$88.8

-77.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 JMD 491

$3.65 MX$61.9

-14.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 JMD 977

$5.78 MX$98.1

7.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 JMD 212

$1.54 MX$26.09

-12.34%

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

$43.4K JMD 6.8M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

90.22%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

28.94%

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

$94.0 JMD 14.8K

$90.7 MX$1,538

3.66%

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

$21.95 JMD 3,448

$25.19 MX$427

-12.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 JMD 7,964

$31.75 MX$539

59.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.94 JMD 1,719

$29.37 MX$498

-62.75%

Cinema Ticket

$13.03 JMD 2,047

$4.86 MX$82.5

168.11%

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

$369 JMD 58.0K

$226 MX$3,828

63.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,155 JMD 1.3M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

94.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.13 JMD 3,791

$47.38 MX$804

-49.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.52 JMD 4,952

$43.45 MX$737

-27.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 JMD 12.2K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-3.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 JMD 16.3K

$91.4 MX$1,550

13.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 JMD 73.3K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-57.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,779 JMD 279.4K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-56.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$497 JMD 78.1K

$773 MX$13.1K

-35.74%

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 Mandeville: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $466 in Mandeville and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 56% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $74.0 in Mandeville vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 vs $278 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Mandeville is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 56% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $466 in Mandeville versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $369 in Mandeville versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mandeville – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $810 in Mandeville versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mandeville but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mandeville the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mandeville is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mandeville and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mandeville gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.