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 $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $894 in Duncans, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,423 in Duncans, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,054 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,952 in Duncans, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% 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 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$7.38 JMD 1,168

57.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$740

$61.7 JMD 9,765

-30.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$8.53 JMD 1,350

24.27%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.2

$4.38 JMD 693

-18.04%

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

$1.45 MX$25.15

$1.36 JMD 215

6.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.55

$0.74 JMD 118

21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.5

$2.47 JMD 391

22.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.0

$3.11 JMD 492

46.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.14

$4.28 JMD 677

-66.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.64

$3.63 JMD 574

-49.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.85

$1.54 JMD 244

4.55%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.95

$3.46 JMD 548

-26.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$10.88 JMD 1,721

-21.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$6.33 JMD 1,003

33.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.76 JMD 1,228

39.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.26

$6.04 JMD 956

-54.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.85

$3.09 JMD 488

-51.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.65

$4.18 JMD 662

-53.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.49

$3.07 JMD 486

-29.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$31.97

$2.10 JMD 333

-11.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.91

$2.02 JMD 320

8.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$3.11 JMD 492

-65.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$1.44 JMD 229

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.3

$9.00 JMD 1,424

-54.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$181

$11.48 JMD 1,817

-8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.64

$2.90 JMD 459

-43.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.13

$3.04 JMD 481

-16.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$454

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.4

$1.07 JMD 170

193.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.08

$3.23 JMD 511

-26.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$6.28 JMD 993

-48.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.76

$1.23 JMD 195

6.50%

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

$30.5K MX$528.9K

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

-29.07%

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

$23.8K MX$412.6K

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

-30.30%

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

$83.1 MX$1,440

$163 JMD 25.8K

-48.92%

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

$22.15 MX$384

$22.03 JMD 3,487

0.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$509

$50.7 JMD 8,016

-42.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.7

$13.02 JMD 2,061

-62.44%

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

$199 MX$3,441

$229 JMD 36.3K

-13.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.2K

$2,435 JMD 385.3K

113.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$622

$26.13 JMD 4,135

37.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$682

$25.25 JMD 3,996

56.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,391

$71.0 JMD 11.2K

13.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,517

$76.2 JMD 12.1K

14.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,350

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Duncans: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $0 in Duncans. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $62 in Duncans. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $351 – 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 41%, 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 $1,894 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,341 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,262 in Playa del Carmen and $894 in Duncans. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $199 per month in Playa del Carmen and $229 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 $894, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,262. 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.