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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,292 in Freeport.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,601 in Freeport.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,910 in Freeport.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 45% less than in Freeport, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Freeport is 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$22.32 BSD 22.32

-46.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$102 BSD 102

-58.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$11.96 BSD 11.96

-10.12%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$5.37 BSD 5.37

-34.82%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$2.21 BSD 2.21

-34.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.64 BSD 1.64

-46.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$4.51 BSD 4.51

-34.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$7.83 BSD 7.83

-42.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.73 BSD 1.73

-17.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.73 BSD 3.73

-50.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$5.45 BSD 5.45

-71.19%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$8.15 BSD 8.15

-69.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$8.94 BSD 8.94

-7.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.92 BSD 2.92

-50.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$6.47 BSD 6.47

-67.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.26 BSD 2.26

-3.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$3.27 BSD 3.27

-68.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.85 BSD 1.85

-42.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$20.14 BSD 20.14

-49.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$4.25 BSD 4.25

-60.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.46 BSD 1.46

-65.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.97 BSD 2.97

8.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.50 BSD 1.50

-12.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$35.5K BSD 35.5K

-33.34%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$119 BSD 119

-31.00%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$40.10 BSD 40.10

-42.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$65.2 BSD 65.2

-53.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$48.01 BSD 48.01

8.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

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

$197 MX$3,438

$375 BSD 375

-47.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$7,875 BSD 7,875

-32.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$46.67 BSD 46.67

-23.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$25.31 BSD 25.31

59.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$95.1 BSD 95.1

-17.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$78.8 BSD 78.8

12.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,191 BSD 1,191

-20.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$1,306 BSD 1,306

-63.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$2,103 BSD 2,103

-21.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$2,407 BSD 2,407

-49.71%

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

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Freeport: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $1,191 in Freeport. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $102 in Freeport for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $287 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 82% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $2,292 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $3,438 in Freeport to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,191 in Freeport. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $375 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 $102 in Freeport. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,292 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 82% less than in Freeport. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.