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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $886 in Gordon Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,422 in Gordon Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,958 in Gordon Town, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 46% 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 3% lower, Gordon Town 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.72 JMD 1,214

51.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$63.4 JMD 9,974

-34.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.73 JMD 1,372

21.88%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$4.39 JMD 691

-19.82%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.37 JMD 215

10.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.70 JMD 110

38.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.56 JMD 403

15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.04 JMD 479

46.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$4.39 JMD 690

-68.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.48 JMD 548

-45.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.61 JMD 253

1.86%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.48 JMD 547

-27.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$11.13 JMD 1,750

-25.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.53 JMD 1,027

27.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.45 JMD 1,171

44.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$5.98 JMD 941

-56.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.98 JMD 468

-51.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$4.11 JMD 647

-53.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$3.06 JMD 482

-32.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.11 JMD 332

-15.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.00 JMD 314

9.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$3.02 JMD 475

-65.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.49 JMD 234

-27.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$8.69 JMD 1,367

-53.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$11.31 JMD 1,779

-8.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.80 JMD 440

-38.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$3.09 JMD 486

-16.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.13 JMD 178

188.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$3.10 JMD 487

-19.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$6.40 JMD 1,007

-49.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.23 JMD 193

6.50%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$42.2K JMD 6.6M

-28.20%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-30.46%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$163 JMD 25.6K

-49.15%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$21.76 JMD 3,421

2.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$51.3 JMD 8,061

-42.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$13.00 JMD 2,044

-61.00%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$226 JMD 35.6K

-11.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$2,513 JMD 395.2K

107.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$25.73 JMD 4,046

43.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$25.31 JMD 3,980

57.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$70.0 JMD 11.0K

12.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

15.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Gordon Town: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $63.0 in Gordon Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $350 – 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 46%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,329 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 $63.0 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 $886, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.