Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Fresh Creek Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Fresh Creek

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

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

$22.71 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$2,263 BSD 2,263

-70.52%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Fresh Creek: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Fresh Creek pays 239% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

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 Fresh Creek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Fresh Creek earns 239% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

For families, Fresh Creek 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 Fresh Creek are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Fresh Creek wins on affordability, Playa del Carmen on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.