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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,050 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,731 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,411 in Duncans, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 24% more than Duncans, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Duncans are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Duncans 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$16.03 JMD 2,518

-25.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$76.8 JMD 12.1K

-38.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$8.82 JMD 1,385

33.22%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$5.21 JMD 819

-20.92%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.25 JMD 196

12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.68 JMD 107

33.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.17 JMD 341

47.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.09 JMD 486

128.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$4.14 JMD 650

-59.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.68 JMD 578

-41.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.65 JMD 260

7.27%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.47 JMD 544

-18.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$11.35 JMD 1,782

-18.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.16 JMD 967

49.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.14 JMD 1,592

24.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$6.19 JMD 972

-52.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$3.96 JMD 622

-60.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$7.42 JMD 1,165

-70.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.10 JMD 488

-23.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$3.29 JMD 517

-39.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.69 JMD 422

-26.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$3.05 JMD 479

-59.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.44 JMD 227

-15.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$9.50 JMD 1,492

-51.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$11.16 JMD 1,753

-5.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.85 JMD 447

-40.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$4.09 JMD 643

-32.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.23 JMD 193

326.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$3.07 JMD 483

18.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$6.41 JMD 1,007

-9.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.41 JMD 221

9.22%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$44.9K JMD 7.1M

-49.24%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$32.6K JMD 5.1M

-20.86%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$177 JMD 27.8K

-48.82%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$29.71 JMD 4,666

-15.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$52.2 JMD 8,196

-39.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$13.21 JMD 2,075

-63.21%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$363 JMD 57.0K

-37.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$8,328 JMD 1.3M

-49.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$23.73 JMD 3,727

99.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$31.30 JMD 4,916

38.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

3.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$104 JMD 16.3K

-12.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

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)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

9.45

21.16%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Duncans: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $77.0 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $383 – 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,576 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,050 in Duncans. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $363 in Duncans. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Duncans, where all-in costs run around $1,050, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Duncans it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Duncans – 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 Duncans. 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.