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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $879 in Linstead, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,429 in Linstead, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,980 in Linstead, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 47% more than Linstead, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Linstead are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Linstead 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.58 JMD 1,192

54.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$62.9 JMD 9,894

-33.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.80 JMD 1,384

20.91%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$4.43 JMD 696

-20.54%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.31 JMD 206

15.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.76 JMD 120

27.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.46 JMD 387

19.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.11 JMD 489

43.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$4.19 JMD 658

-67.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.65 JMD 574

-48.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.57 JMD 247

4.46%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.55 JMD 558

-29.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$11.17 JMD 1,757

-25.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.32 JMD 994

31.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.61 JMD 1,197

41.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$6.13 JMD 964

-57.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.99 JMD 470

-51.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$4.21 JMD 661

-54.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$3.07 JMD 482

-32.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.04 JMD 321

-12.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.99 JMD 313

10.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$3.01 JMD 474

-65.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.45 JMD 228

-25.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$8.56 JMD 1,347

-52.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$11.59 JMD 1,823

-10.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.84 JMD 447

-39.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$3.18 JMD 500

-18.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.77 JMD 120

-33.77%

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

$3.17 JMD 498

-21.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$6.17 JMD 970

-47.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.28 JMD 201

2.34%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

-28.93%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

-29.71%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$163 JMD 25.7K

-49.30%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$22.50 JMD 3,538

-1.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$50.8 JMD 7,995

-42.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$12.90 JMD 2,029

-60.70%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$223 JMD 35.1K

-9.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$2,481 JMD 390.2K

110.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$26.23 JMD 4,125

40.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$25.71 JMD 4,044

54.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$71.7 JMD 11.3K

9.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$77.5 JMD 12.2K

12.37%

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 Linstead: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $63.0 in Linstead. 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 Linstead: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 47% more than Linstead, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,319 in Linstead. 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 Linstead. 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Linstead, where all-in costs run around $879, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Linstead it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Linstead costs $879 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Linstead. 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.