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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,546 in Freeport.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,014 in Freeport.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,481 in Freeport.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 50% less than in Freeport, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Freeport is 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$48.19 BSD 48.19

-75.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$101 BSD 101

-53.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$12.65 BSD 12.65

-6.09%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$6.48 BSD 6.48

-38.58%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$3.13 BSD 3.13

-54.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.85 BSD 2.85

-71.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$4.71 BSD 4.71

-32.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$6.85 BSD 6.85

-0.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.53 BSD 2.53

-33.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.38 BSD 3.38

-34.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$6.43 BSD 6.43

-73.41%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$10.02 BSD 10.02

-72.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$12.75 BSD 12.75

-24.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$4.33 BSD 4.33

-65.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$13.47 BSD 13.47

-84.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$11.04 BSD 11.04

-79.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$4.89 BSD 4.89

-74.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$3.56 BSD 3.56

-66.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$15.04 BSD 15.04

-69.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$19.78 BSD 19.78

-47.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.54 BSD 1.54

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$34.4K BSD 34.4K

-24.17%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$352 BSD 352

-74.02%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$63.1 BSD 63.1

-60.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$76.1 BSD 76.1

-58.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$63.6 BSD 63.6

5.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$50.8 BSD 50.8

-42.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

$617 BSD 617

-63.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$8,500 BSD 8,500

-50.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$49.66 BSD 49.66

-5.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$88.6 BSD 88.6

-9.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$59.1 BSD 59.1

56.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,008 BSD 1,008

5.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$933 BSD 933

-58.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$2,280 BSD 2,280

-5.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,967 BSD 1,967

-35.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-23.67%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Freeport: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,008 in Freeport. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $101 in Freeport for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $400 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 101% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $2,546 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 $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $3,819 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,008 in Freeport. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $617 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 $47.00 versus $101 in Freeport. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,546 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 101% less than in Freeport. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.