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 $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $900 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,459 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,018 in Duncans, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 40% more than Duncans, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Duncans are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Duncans 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$7.42 JMD 1,168

61.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$731

$62.4 JMD 9,821

-32.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$8.78 JMD 1,383

18.68%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.3

$4.30 JMD 678

-18.37%

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

$1.52 MX$26.44

$1.30 JMD 205

16.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.88

$0.70 JMD 111

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.0

$2.56 JMD 403

18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.2

$3.09 JMD 486

41.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.78

$4.19 JMD 659

-66.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.93

$3.59 JMD 566

-49.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.51

$1.62 JMD 256

0.62%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.29

$3.43 JMD 540

-25.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$11.25 JMD 1,772

-23.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$6.32 JMD 996

34.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$7.56 JMD 1,190

42.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.04

$5.88 JMD 926

-53.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.05

$3.09 JMD 486

-53.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.90

$4.18 JMD 659

-54.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.84

$3.06 JMD 481

-29.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.03

$2.11 JMD 332

-15.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.79

$2.03 JMD 319

9.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.64

$3.13 JMD 492

-65.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.83

$1.51 JMD 237

-28.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.3

$8.53 JMD 1,344

-51.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$11.47 JMD 1,806

-8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.40

$2.75 JMD 433

-36.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.01

$3.11 JMD 490

-17.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.0

$1.07 JMD 169

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.64

$3.22 JMD 507

-22.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.6

$6.43 JMD 1,013

-50.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.91

$1.23 JMD 193

2.44%

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

$29.7K MX$517.7K

$43.3K JMD 6.8M

-31.40%

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

$23.7K MX$413.0K

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

-28.95%

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

$82.0 MX$1,430

$161 JMD 25.3K

-49.04%

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

$22.73 MX$396

$21.75 JMD 3,425

4.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$513

$51.3 JMD 8,082

-42.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$910

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$13.28 JMD 2,092

-62.88%

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

$202 MX$3,519

$222 JMD 35.0K

-9.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.0K

$2,499 JMD 393.6K

108.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$627

$25.79 JMD 4,062

39.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$703

$25.46 JMD 4,010

58.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,393

$70.5 JMD 11.1K

13.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,557

$77.4 JMD 12.2K

15.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,114

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.15

24.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Duncans: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $62.0 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $350 – 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 40%, 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 $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,349 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,259 in Playa del Carmen and $900 in Duncans. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $222 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 $900, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. 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.