Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Fakenham

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,377 in Fakenham, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Fakenham, United Kingdom
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Fakenham
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,377
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Fakenham

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Fakenham actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,377 in Fakenham.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Fakenham $2,377

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,443 in Fakenham.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Fakenham $3,443

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,959 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,510 in Fakenham.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Fakenham $4,510

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 49% less than in Fakenham, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 12% below, Fakenham is 75% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Fakenham
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$204
$21.65 £16.30
-49.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$808
$67.7 £50.9
-35.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$220
$9.21 £6.93
27.90%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.0
$4.92 £3.70
-22.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.90
$2.43 £1.83
-47.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.59
$1.32 £0.99
-40.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.0
$6.55 £4.93
-51.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.0
$5.37 £4.05
-8.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Fakenham
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$1.70 £1.28
-17.06%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.33
$1.61 £1.21
37.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.42
$2.15 £1.62
-33.95%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.03
$3.94 £2.97
-36.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$10.04 £7.55
-27.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$8.68 £6.54
-11.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$237
$14.70 £11.06
-13.67%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.9
$2.86 £2.15
-2.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.50
$1.50 £1.13
-8.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.55
$2.73 £2.05
-6.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.58
$3.66 £2.76
-42.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.13
$1.56 £1.17
24.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.16
$1.58 £1.19
19.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.37
$1.21 £0.91
-4.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.98
$1.52 £1.14
-22.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.1
$20.84 £15.69
-79.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$10.90 £8.20
-8.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.52
$2.60 £1.95
-39.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.79
$3.15 £2.37
-15.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Fakenham
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.31
$3.53 £2.66
-84.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$496
$96.6 £72.7
-72.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.6
$4.97 £3.74
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.1
$4.10 £3.09
-18.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.8
$25.47 £19.17
-78.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.92
$2.11 £1.59
-31.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$385.2K
$37.8K £28.5K
-45.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.4K
$40.6K £30.5K
-42.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Fakenham
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,581
$318 £239
-73.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$436
$16.32 £12.28
43.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$534
$44.49 £33.48
-35.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Fakenham
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,063
$45.42 £34.18
25.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$539
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.8
$14.61 £11.00
-64.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Fakenham
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,851
$1,256 £945
-83.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.2K
$26.4K £19.9K
-85.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Fakenham
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$808
$84.1 £63.3
-48.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$772
$41.96 £31.58
-1.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,383
$109 £81.8
-31.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,664
$109 £82.0
-18.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Fakenham
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.3K
$1,208 £909
-18.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,099
$1,015 £764
-62.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.8K
$2,104 £1,583
-18.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$1,665 £1,253
-35.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.5K
$5,036 £3,790
-21.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.8K
$3,869 £2,912
59.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Fakenham
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
5.33
114.82%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Fakenham: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Fakenham
$1K 167% $634
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Fakenham
$300 17.6% $45
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Fakenham
$318 57.4% $116
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Fakenham
$378 177% $242
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Fakenham
$155 38.4% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Fakenham
$75 10.9% $7.3
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Fakenham
$136 170% $86

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $980 in Playa del Carmen and $1,208 in Fakenham. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $68 in Fakenham for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $300 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇬🇧 Fakenham
🕒 Local time
17:24 5:24 PM
22:24 10:24 PM
5 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
7,600
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.753 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.838 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Fakenham 8,060 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Fakenham

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Fakenham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Fakenham?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Fakenham. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Fakenham?
You’d need roughly $1,806 in Playa del Carmen and $3,566 in Fakenham to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Fakenham?
Rent for a central apartment: $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,208 in Fakenham. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Fakenham?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43 versus $68 in Fakenham. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Fakenham?
All in, you’ll spend $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,377 in Fakenham – Playa del Carmen is about 49% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Fakenham?
At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,377 in Fakenham, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fakenham. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Playa del Carmen or Fakenham?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Fakenham. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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