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: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $762 in Clark Freeport.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,201 in Clark Freeport.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,640 in Clark Freeport.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 65% more expensive than Clark Freeport, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Clark Freeport 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$203

$3.52 ₱213

231.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$728

$17.62 ₱1,066

137.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$181

$3.32 ₱201

213.25%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.9

$2.39 ₱145

51.05%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.78 ₱47.47

88.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.86

$0.36 ₱21.91

152.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$1.37 ₱82.8

121.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.7

$2.08 ₱126

114.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.91

$1.91 ₱115

-27.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.04

$1.26 ₱76.0

46.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.91

$1.01 ₱61.2

59.41%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.67

$2.10 ₱127

22.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$7.91 ₱479

7.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$4.30 ₱260

97.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$191

$7.68 ₱465

43.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.42

$3.00 ₱181

-9.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.01

$1.52 ₱92.2

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.05

$2.63 ₱159

-25.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.83

$1.59 ₱96.5

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.41

$2.32 ₱141

-19.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.80

$2.53 ₱153

-14.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.65

$1.07 ₱64.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.24

$0.77 ₱46.73

36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.9

$2.92 ₱176

43.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$179

$8.18 ₱495

25.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.97

$1.21 ₱73.2

38.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.27

$2.04 ₱123

22.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.41

$0.23 ₱13.92

134.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$54.0

$0.77 ₱46.73

302.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.81

$0.24 ₱14.58

925.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.3

$2.19 ₱133

47.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.91

$1.10 ₱66.6

14.55%

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

$30.2K MX$524.6K

$26.9K ₱1.6M

12.34%

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

$23.4K MX$407.7K

$20.6K ₱1.2M

13.85%

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

$84.0 MX$1,461

$111 ₱6,704

-24.19%

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

$22.21 MX$386

$32.79 ₱1,984

-32.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$516

$27.87 ₱1,686

6.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$915

$34.30 ₱2,076

53.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$319

$4.35 ₱263

321.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$86.0

$5.85 ₱354

-15.38%

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

$198 MX$3,449

$151 ₱9,147

31.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.5K

$4,315 ₱261.1K

23.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$625

$45.62 ₱2,760

-21.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$697

$26.53 ₱1,606

51.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,370

$76.0 ₱4,599

3.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,504

$53.5 ₱3,237

61.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$17.0K

$271 ₱16.4K

260.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,186

$179 ₱10.9K

162.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.7K

$577 ₱34.9K

176.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$388 ₱23.5K

213.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$70.1K

$2,370 ₱143.4K

70.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$330 ₱20.0K

116.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.67

71.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Clark Freeport: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $271 in Clark Freeport. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 117% 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: $42 in Playa del Carmen vs $18 in Clark Freeport for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $207 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 65% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $762 including rent). Clark Freeport is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 117% more on average, 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: $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $271 in Clark Freeport. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $151 in Clark Freeport. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Clark Freeport – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $762 in Clark Freeport versus $1,261 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 65% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.