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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,981 in Freetown, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,705 in Freetown, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,429 in Freetown, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 36% cheaper than Freetown, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Freetown is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$2.96 SLL 67.3K

295.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$32.56 SLL 741.3K

28.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$9.90 SLL 225.3K

6.16%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.77 SLL 40.3K

102.82%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.00 SLL 22.8K

51.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.93 SLL 21.1K

-1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.49 SLL 33.9K

98.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.75 SLL 62.5K

60.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$2.45 SLL 55.7K

-42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.65 SLL 14.8K

189.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.32 SLL 30.0K

18.18%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.99 SLL 45.3K

31.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$7.13 SLL 162.2K

16.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$7.67 SLL 174.7K

8.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$5.17 SLL 117.7K

110.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$4.09 SLL 93.1K

-33.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$2.02 SLL 46.1K

-25.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$0.69 SLL 15.6K

171.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$4.88 SLL 111.2K

-55.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$2.01 SLL 45.9K

-7.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.65 SLL 37.5K

35.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.02 SLL 23.2K

4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$1.44 SLL 32.8K

-24.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$3.07 SLL 69.9K

36.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$7.34 SLL 167.1K

42.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.16 SLL 26.4K

43.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.02 SLL 45.9K

29.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.44 SLL 10.1K

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.72 SLL 16.4K

327.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$1.28 SLL 29.1K

87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$4.98 SLL 113.4K

-37.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.31 SLL 29.9K

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$12.2K SLL 277.2M

144.84%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$25.0K SLL 569.3M

-6.74%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$145 SLL 3.3M

-43.92%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$10.15 SLL 231.1K

122.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$98.8 SLL 2.3M

-69.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$49.03 SLL 1.1M

7.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

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

$201 MX$3,502

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$9.97 SLL 226.9K

260.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$7.96 SLL 181.1K

404.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$19.68 SLL 448.2K

304.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$50.2 SLL 1.1M

72.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$808 SLL 18.4M

21.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$1,280 SLL 29.1M

-63.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$2,104 SLL 47.9M

-21.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$99.6 SLL 2.3M

1108.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$1,334 SLL 30.4M

-49.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Freetown: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $808 in Freetown. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 97% higher in Freetown, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $33.00 in Freetown. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $234 – making Freetown the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Freetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $1,981 in Freetown – roughly 57% apart. Freetown costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,972 in Freetown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $33.00 in Freetown. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,981 in Freetown. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Freetown at $1,981. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Freetown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,260 in Playa del Carmen to $1,981 in Freetown. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Freetown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.