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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,167 in Falmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,849 in Falmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,531 in Falmouth, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 9% more than Falmouth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Falmouth are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Falmouth 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$7.14 JMD 1,123

66.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$62.6 JMD 9,853

-31.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$8.88 JMD 1,396

19.93%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$4.44 JMD 699

-22.30%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$1.38 JMD 216

8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$0.75 JMD 117

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$2.48 JMD 391

22.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$3.16 JMD 496

45.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$4.44 JMD 698

-68.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.59 JMD 564

-48.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$1.63 JMD 257

-1.23%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$3.57 JMD 562

-27.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$11.09 JMD 1,744

-25.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$6.33 JMD 996

32.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$7.77 JMD 1,223

37.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$6.10 JMD 960

-56.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$3.05 JMD 479

-51.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$4.34 JMD 682

-55.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$2.91 JMD 457

-28.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$2.03 JMD 319

-8.37%

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

$1.46 JMD 229

-25.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$8.92 JMD 1,403

-53.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$11.60 JMD 1,824

-10.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$2.88 JMD 453

-40.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$3.06 JMD 481

-14.71%

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

$1.13 JMD 178

176.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$3.13 JMD 492

-19.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$6.13 JMD 965

-48.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$1.28 JMD 201

-0.78%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

-28.63%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$33.5K JMD 5.3M

-29.71%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$163 JMD 25.7K

-49.12%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$22.15 JMD 3,484

2.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$50.9 JMD 7,999

-42.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$28.51 JMD 4,484

78.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$13.05 JMD 2,052

-62.22%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$223 JMD 35.1K

-11.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$2,498 JMD 392.9K

111.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$25.62 JMD 4,030

44.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$25.27 JMD 3,974

57.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$70.8 JMD 11.1K

13.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$77.1 JMD 12.1K

16.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$318 JMD 50.0K

201.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$255 JMD 40.2K

86.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$533 JMD 83.8K

208.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$463 JMD 72.8K

164.46%

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 Falmouth: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $318 in Falmouth. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $63.0 in Falmouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $353 – 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 Falmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 9% more than Falmouth, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,750 in Falmouth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Falmouth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $63.0 in Falmouth. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 41% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Falmouth, where all-in costs run around $1,167, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Falmouth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Falmouth costs $1,167 versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Falmouth. 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.