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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,050 in Linstead, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,698 in Linstead, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,345 in Linstead, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 21% more than Linstead, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Linstead are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Linstead 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$15.78 JMD 2,473

-26.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$75.3 JMD 11.8K

-37.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$9.00 JMD 1,411

32.00%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$5.46 JMD 856

-27.11%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$1.21 JMD 190

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.69 JMD 107

18.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$2.29 JMD 358

39.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.18 JMD 499

113.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$4.28 JMD 671

-60.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$3.80 JMD 595

-42.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.57 JMD 246

8.92%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$3.63 JMD 569

-24.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$11.58 JMD 1,815

-17.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.44 JMD 1,010

39.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$10.46 JMD 1,640

22.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$6.19 JMD 970

-53.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$3.98 JMD 624

-62.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$7.42 JMD 1,163

-71.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$2.98 JMD 467

-24.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$3.19 JMD 501

-37.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$2.73 JMD 427

-27.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$3.17 JMD 497

-61.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$1.45 JMD 228

-17.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$9.74 JMD 1,526

-53.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$11.34 JMD 1,777

-8.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$2.91 JMD 456

-44.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$3.91 JMD 613

-26.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.18 JMD 185

356.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$3.23 JMD 506

15.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$6.47 JMD 1,015

-10.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.36 JMD 212

13.24%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$44.0K JMD 6.9M

-48.80%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$32.4K JMD 5.1M

-19.59%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$175 JMD 27.4K

-47.79%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$30.05 JMD 4,709

-16.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$52.3 JMD 8,195

-40.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$13.29 JMD 2,082

-63.43%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$370 JMD 57.9K

-39.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$8,355 JMD 1.3M

-49.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$23.34 JMD 3,658

101.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$32.02 JMD 5,018

38.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$77.3 JMD 12.1K

3.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$104 JMD 16.3K

-11.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

9.45

21.16%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Linstead: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $75.0 in Linstead. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $390 – 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 21% 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,576 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $75.0 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 $1,050, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $1,050 versus $1,266 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.