Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Gordon Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Gordon Town

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $891 in Gordon Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,449 in Gordon Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,008 in Gordon Town, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% more than Gordon Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gordon Town are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Gordon Town 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.68 JMD 1,211

56.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$63.7 JMD 10.1K

-34.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.59 JMD 1,355

25.15%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.38 JMD 691

-20.09%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.31 JMD 207

10.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.71 JMD 112

23.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.56 JMD 404

15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.10 JMD 489

45.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$4.21 JMD 664

-66.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.64 JMD 575

-49.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.55 JMD 245

1.29%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.58 JMD 565

-29.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$11.10 JMD 1,751

-25.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.53 JMD 1,030

29.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.69 JMD 1,213

38.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$6.14 JMD 968

-57.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.99 JMD 473

-51.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$4.28 JMD 675

-54.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.96 JMD 466

-29.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.11 JMD 334

-12.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.91 JMD 302

13.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$3.12 JMD 492

-66.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.46 JMD 230

-26.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$8.58 JMD 1,354

-52.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$11.12 JMD 1,755

-8.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.85 JMD 450

-41.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.04 JMD 480

-16.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.12 JMD 177

188.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$3.11 JMD 491

-22.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.24 JMD 985

-48.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.28 JMD 202

3.13%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$42.1K JMD 6.6M

-29.41%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-29.69%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$164 JMD 25.8K

-49.93%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$22.15 JMD 3,496

3.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$50.5 JMD 7,975

-40.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$13.32 JMD 2,101

-62.61%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$227 JMD 35.8K

-13.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,512 JMD 396.3K

112.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$25.94 JMD 4,093

37.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$25.78 JMD 4,068

56.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$70.0 JMD 11.0K

12.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$75.1 JMD 11.8K

18.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

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

9.15

24.81%

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 Gordon Town: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $64.0 in Gordon Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $351 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Gordon Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,337 in Gordon Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $64.0 in Gordon Town. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 41% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gordon Town, where all-in costs run around $891, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Gordon Town it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gordon Town – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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