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 $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,171 in Falmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,823 in Falmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,054 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,475 in Falmouth, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 8% more than Falmouth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Falmouth are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Falmouth 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$7.24 JMD 1,146

60.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$740

$62.8 JMD 9,942

-31.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$8.99 JMD 1,423

17.91%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.2

$4.23 JMD 669

-15.13%

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

$1.45 MX$25.15

$1.31 JMD 208

10.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.55

$0.70 JMD 111

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.5

$2.57 JMD 407

17.90%

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 678

-66.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.64

$3.46 JMD 548

-47.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.85

$1.56 JMD 247

3.21%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.95

$3.52 JMD 558

-27.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$11.15 JMD 1,765

-23.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$6.18 JMD 978

37.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.70 JMD 1,219

41.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.26

$6.06 JMD 958

-54.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.85

$3.11 JMD 492

-52.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.65

$4.18 JMD 662

-53.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.49

$2.93 JMD 464

-26.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$31.97

$2.04 JMD 323

-9.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.91

$1.96 JMD 310

11.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$3.07 JMD 486

-65.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$1.43 JMD 226

-24.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.3

$8.74 JMD 1,383

-53.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$181

$11.34 JMD 1,794

-7.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.64

$2.80 JMD 444

-41.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.13

$3.09 JMD 489

-17.48%

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

$1.08 JMD 170

190.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.08

$3.15 JMD 498

-24.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$6.34 JMD 1,004

-48.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.76

$1.25 JMD 197

4.80%

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

$33.3K JMD 5.3M

-28.50%

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

$83.1 MX$1,440

$164 JMD 25.9K

-49.22%

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

$22.15 MX$384

$22.25 JMD 3,522

-0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$509

$50.9 JMD 8,050

-42.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$887

$28.50 JMD 4,510

79.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.7

$13.25 JMD 2,097

-63.09%

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

$199 MX$3,441

$228 JMD 36.1K

-12.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.2K

$2,437 JMD 385.8K

113.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$622

$26.16 JMD 4,141

37.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$682

$25.30 JMD 4,004

55.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,391

$71.8 JMD 11.4K

11.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,517

$76.2 JMD 12.1K

14.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$309 JMD 48.9K

211.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,350

$247 JMD 39.0K

95.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.5K

$528 JMD 83.6K

211.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.6K

$469 JMD 74.2K

154.39%

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 Falmouth: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $309 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $63 in Falmouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $348 – 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 8% 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 $1,894 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,756 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 38% 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 $1,171, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,262. 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 $1,171 versus $1,262 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.