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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $892 in Fort Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,535 in Fort Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,177 in Fort Wellington.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 45% more expensive than Fort Wellington, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Fort Wellington 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$12.10 GYD 2,516

-3.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$71.2 GYD 14.8K

-41.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.86 GYD 1,841

20.09%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$5.12 GYD 1,065

-31.25%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.21 GYD 251

24.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.69 GYD 144

40.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.98 GYD 412

48.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.41 GYD 501

84.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$3.45 GYD 717

-60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.12 GYD 442

-10.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.00 GYD 415

-18.00%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$4.11 GYD 855

-38.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$13.65 GYD 2,838

-38.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.25 GYD 1,300

33.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.71 GYD 2,019

10.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$9.68 GYD 2,011

-73.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.56 GYD 533

-42.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.19 GYD 663

-40.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$6.49 GYD 1,350

-67.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.41 GYD 502

-26.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.95 GYD 614

-25.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.37 GYD 492

-56.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.52 GYD 316

-28.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.63 GYD 546

55.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$16.98 GYD 3,531

-39.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.76 GYD 366

-2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.44 GYD 508

5.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.05 GYD 633

6.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$11.95 GYD 2,484

-72.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.00 GYD 208

31.00%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$21.9K GYD 4.6M

38.13%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$17.3K GYD 3.6M

35.22%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$90.6 GYD 18.8K

-8.56%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$27.40 GYD 5,697

-18.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$52.1 GYD 10.8K

-43.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.77 GYD 1,408

-25.11%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$1,007 GYD 209.3K

-80.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$22.9K GYD 4.8M

-77.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$35.06 GYD 7,289

5.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$53.7 GYD 11.2K

-25.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$130 GYD 27.1K

-39.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$76.2 GYD 15.8K

14.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$981 GYD 203.9K

-32.29%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Fort Wellington: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Fort Wellington pays 48% 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 $71.0 in Fort Wellington for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $379 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 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Fort Wellington earns 48% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,007 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 $71.0 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $892 in Fort Wellington versus $1,297 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 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.