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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,316 in Freeport.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,584 in Freeport.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,852 in Freeport.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 44% less than in Freeport, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Freeport is 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$22.54 BSD 22.54

-47.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$101 BSD 101

-58.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$12.09 BSD 12.09

-11.99%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$5.57 BSD 5.57

-36.80%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.19 BSD 2.19

-31.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.60 BSD 1.60

-39.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$4.58 BSD 4.58

-35.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$8.08 BSD 8.08

-44.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.80 BSD 1.80

-23.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.71 BSD 3.71

-49.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$5.42 BSD 5.42

-69.74%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$8.40 BSD 8.40

-70.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.07 BSD 9.07

-8.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.85 BSD 2.85

-48.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$6.72 BSD 6.72

-69.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.23 BSD 2.23

-1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$3.27 BSD 3.27

-68.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.90 BSD 1.90

-43.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$20.21 BSD 20.21

-48.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$4.25 BSD 4.25

-59.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.49 BSD 1.49

-65.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.99 BSD 2.99

9.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.51 BSD 1.51

-13.25%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$34.5K BSD 34.5K

-32.04%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$120 BSD 120

-30.72%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$40.62 BSD 40.62

-45.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$63.6 BSD 63.6

-53.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$46.97 BSD 46.97

9.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

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

$201 MX$3,473

$376 BSD 376

-46.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$8,032 BSD 8,032

-35.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$47.00 BSD 47.00

-21.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$24.61 BSD 24.61

61.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$94.8 BSD 94.8

-17.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$79.5 BSD 79.5

9.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,169 BSD 1,169

-16.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$1,302 BSD 1,302

-64.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,113 BSD 2,113

-22.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$2,388 BSD 2,388

-48.88%

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

$1,552 BSD 1,552

-57.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.38

10.02%

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 Freeport: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $1,169 in Freeport. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Freeport pays 134% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $101 in Freeport for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $290 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 Freeport: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Freeport differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $2,316 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Freeport earns 134% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,169 in Freeport. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $376 in Freeport. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $101 in Freeport. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,316 in Freeport, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Freeport. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Freeport. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.