Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Fort Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Fort Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $894 in Fort Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,533 in Fort Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,171 in Fort Wellington.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 40% more expensive than in Fort Wellington, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Fort Wellington 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$11.97 GYD 2,488

0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$71.6 GYD 14.9K

-41.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.37 GYD 1,740

28.43%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$5.17 GYD 1,074

-32.30%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.24 GYD 258

16.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.71 GYD 147

23.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.05 GYD 426

43.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.36 GYD 491

91.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$3.33 GYD 692

-57.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.13 GYD 442

-13.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.98 GYD 411

-20.71%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$4.20 GYD 873

-40.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$13.67 GYD 2,841

-39.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.23 GYD 1,296

35.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$9.42 GYD 1,959

13.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$9.40 GYD 1,954

-72.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.67 GYD 556

-46.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$3.31 GYD 688

-40.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$6.54 GYD 1,359

-68.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.39 GYD 497

-22.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.89 GYD 602

-24.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.27 GYD 471

-54.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.45 GYD 301

-26.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.56 GYD 532

60.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$16.74 GYD 3,479

-39.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.68 GYD 349

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.44 GYD 508

3.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.16 GYD 657

2.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$11.92 GYD 2,478

-72.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.02 GYD 212

29.41%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$22.2K GYD 4.6M

33.48%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$17.5K GYD 3.6M

35.09%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$90.1 GYD 18.7K

-8.99%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$27.08 GYD 5,629

-15.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$50.6 GYD 10.5K

-40.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$6.68 GYD 1,388

-25.45%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$1,008 GYD 209.6K

-80.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$22.9K GYD 4.8M

-76.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$34.12 GYD 7,094

4.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$53.3 GYD 11.1K

-24.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$127 GYD 26.4K

-38.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$76.2 GYD 15.8K

16.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$972 GYD 202.1K

-32.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.5

52.27%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Fort Wellington: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Fort Wellington pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $72.0 in Fort Wellington for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $375 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Fort Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Wellington is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Fort Wellington. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,008 in Fort Wellington. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort Wellington – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $894 in Fort Wellington versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fort Wellington but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Fort Wellington the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Fort Wellington is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Fort Wellington are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Fort Wellington gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.