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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $880 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,432 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,985 in Duncans, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 44% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$7.56 JMD 1,189

57.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$63.2 JMD 9,945

-32.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$8.58 JMD 1,349

24.13%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$4.32 JMD 680

-20.14%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$1.30 JMD 205

15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$0.75 JMD 118

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$2.43 JMD 382

24.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$3.16 JMD 498

45.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$4.34 JMD 683

-68.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.48 JMD 547

-46.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$1.63 JMD 257

-1.23%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$3.59 JMD 564

-27.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$11.12 JMD 1,748

-25.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$6.52 JMD 1,025

28.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$7.49 JMD 1,177

42.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$6.09 JMD 959

-56.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$3.14 JMD 494

-52.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$4.18 JMD 657

-54.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$3.04 JMD 478

-31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$2.04 JMD 321

-8.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$1.94 JMD 305

16.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$2.99 JMD 470

-64.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$1.49 JMD 234

-26.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$8.66 JMD 1,362

-52.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$11.33 JMD 1,783

-8.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$2.87 JMD 451

-40.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$3.17 JMD 498

-17.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$1.07 JMD 168

192.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$3.09 JMD 486

-18.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$6.44 JMD 1,013

-51.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$1.29 JMD 203

-1.55%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$42.1K JMD 6.6M

-27.88%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

-28.59%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$163 JMD 25.6K

-48.99%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$22.31 JMD 3,509

1.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$50.5 JMD 7,942

-41.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$12.92 JMD 2,032

-61.84%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$225 JMD 35.4K

-12.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$2,464 JMD 387.5K

114.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$26.26 JMD 4,130

40.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$25.90 JMD 4,074

54.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

12.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

19.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Duncans: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $63.0 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $352 – 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 44%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,319 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $880 in Duncans. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $225 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 $880, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.