Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Falmouth: $1,007 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Playa del Carmen outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Falmouth, Jamaica
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Falmouth
🇯🇲 Jamaica
$1,007
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Falmouth actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,007 in Falmouth, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Falmouth $1,007

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,663 in Falmouth, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Falmouth $1,663

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,320 in Falmouth, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Falmouth $2,320

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% more than Falmouth, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Playa del Carmen and Falmouth are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Falmouth 26% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Falmouth
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$204
$13.50 JMD 2,128
-19.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$808
$74.9 JMD 11.8K
-42.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$220
$8.11 JMD 1,279
45.25%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.0
$5.33 JMD 840
-28.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.90
$1.20 JMD 189
6.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.59
$0.75 JMD 118
4.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.0
$2.18 JMD 344
45.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.0
$3.24 JMD 512
52.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Falmouth
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$4.11 JMD 648
-65.69%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.33
$3.85 JMD 608
-42.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.42
$1.62 JMD 255
-12.35%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.03
$3.43 JMD 542
-26.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$11.23 JMD 1,771
-35.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$6.13 JMD 966
25.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$237
$10.09 JMD 1,591
25.77%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.9
$6.15 JMD 970
-54.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.50
$3.94 JMD 621
-65.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.55
$7.31 JMD 1,152
-65.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.58
$3.11 JMD 490
-31.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.13
$3.22 JMD 508
-39.75%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.16
$2.61 JMD 412
-27.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.37
$3.01 JMD 474
-61.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.98
$1.51 JMD 237
-21.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.1
$9.62 JMD 1,518
-55.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$11.30 JMD 1,781
-11.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.52
$2.84 JMD 448
-44.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.79
$3.97 JMD 625
-32.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Falmouth
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.31
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$496
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.6
$1.23 JMD 194
304.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.1
$3.19 JMD 503
4.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.8
$6.45 JMD 1,017
-16.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.92
$1.42 JMD 224
1.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$385.2K
$44.1K JMD 7.0M
-53.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.4K
$33.1K JMD 5.2M
-29.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Falmouth
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,581
$171 JMD 27.0K
-50.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$436
$28.94 JMD 4,564
-19.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$534
$52.7 JMD 8,310
-45.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Falmouth
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,063
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$539
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.8
$13.10 JMD 2,066
-60.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Falmouth
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,851
$356 JMD 56.1K
-41.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.2K
$8,286 JMD 1.3M
-52.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Falmouth
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$808
$23.45 JMD 3,698
84.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$772
$31.31 JMD 4,938
32.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,383
$77.2 JMD 12.2K
-3.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,664
$104 JMD 16.3K
-13.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Falmouth
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.3K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,099
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Falmouth
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
9.45
21.16%

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 Falmouth: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Falmouth
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Falmouth
$383 50.4% $129
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Falmouth
$221 9.4% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Falmouth
$253 84.8% $116
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Falmouth
$106 5.1% $5.7
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Falmouth
$26 * 61.1% $41
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Falmouth
$17 * 66% $33

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $75 in Falmouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $383 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇯🇲 Falmouth
🕒 Local time
18:09 6:09 PM
18:09 6:09 PM
Same time as Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
7,779
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JMD, 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).

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Falmouth 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Falmouth

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 Falmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Falmouth?
Playa del Carmen costs about 20% more than Falmouth, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Falmouth?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,510 in Falmouth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Falmouth?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen and $75 in Falmouth. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or in Falmouth?
Interestingly, groceries are about 34% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or in Falmouth?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,007 in Falmouth. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Playa del Carmen or Falmouth?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,007 in Falmouth to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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