Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Clark Freeport Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Clark Freeport

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $733 in Clark Freeport.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,105 in Clark Freeport.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,341 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,478 in Clark Freeport.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 81% more expensive than in Clark Freeport, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Clark Freeport 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$4.07 ₱251

219.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$17.15 ₱1,057

169.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$3.12 ₱192

303.53%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.54 ₱157

57.48%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.62 ₱38.08

129.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.36 ₱22.30

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$1.10 ₱67.8

177.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$1.73 ₱107

294.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.71 ₱105

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$1.19 ₱73.6

86.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.91 ₱55.8

89.01%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.97 ₱121

37.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$5.58 ₱344

67.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$4.15 ₱256

113.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$6.25 ₱385

104.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$2.65 ₱163

18.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.49 ₱92.2

4.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$2.30 ₱142

-6.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$1.21 ₱74.6

94.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$2.10 ₱129

-3.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.95 ₱120

2.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.79 ₱48.50

56.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.48 ₱29.34

147.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$2.94 ₱181

58.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$7.95 ₱490

31.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.06 ₱65.4

49.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$2.13 ₱131

37.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.22 ₱13.58

154.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$10.05 ₱620

196.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$0.93 ₱57.2

472.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.25 ₱15.20

1388.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$1.85 ₱114

212.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.06 ₱65.3

46.23%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$21.8K ₱1.3M

2.48%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$19.3K ₱1.2M

32.44%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$124 ₱7,666

-28.20%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$15.15 ₱934

53.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$25.33 ₱1,561

25.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$32.03 ₱1,975

114.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$4.79 ₱295

513.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$5.42 ₱334

-6.64%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$138 ₱8,481

61.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$8,310 ₱512.3K

-48.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$30.59 ₱1,886

51.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$19.54 ₱1,205

127.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$69.2 ₱4,264

37.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$56.0 ₱3,449

65.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$272 ₱16.8K

292.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$177 ₱10.9K

121.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$501 ₱30.9K

296.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$347 ₱21.4K

275.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$2,437 ₱150.2K

65.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$1,077 ₱66.4K

515.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$320 ₱19.8K

133.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

6.75

71.85%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Clark Freeport: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $272 in Clark Freeport. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 133% 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: $46.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $17.00 in Clark Freeport for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $179 per month, with Clark Freeport 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

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

Playa del Carmen and Clark Freeport differ by about 81% in total monthly costs ($1,330 vs $733 including rent). Clark Freeport is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 133% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $272 in Clark Freeport. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Clark Freeport – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $733 in Clark Freeport – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $733 in Clark Freeport versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Clark Freeport but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Clark Freeport the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Clark Freeport 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 Clark Freeport gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.