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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $885 in Linstead, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,459 in Linstead, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,033 in Linstead, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 42% more than Linstead, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Linstead are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Linstead 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.32 JMD 1,155

63.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$62.8 JMD 9,912

-33.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.71 JMD 1,375

23.42%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.38 JMD 692

-20.09%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.35 JMD 214

7.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.76 JMD 120

15.79%

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

$3.16 JMD 499

42.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$4.37 JMD 690

-67.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.53 JMD 557

-47.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.62 JMD 256

-3.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.48 JMD 549

-27.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$11.15 JMD 1,759

-25.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.51 JMD 1,027

29.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.76 JMD 1,224

37.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$6.05 JMD 955

-56.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$3.01 JMD 475

-52.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$4.26 JMD 672

-53.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.06 JMD 483

-31.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.07 JMD 327

-10.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.01 JMD 318

7.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$3.11 JMD 491

-66.88%

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

$8.96 JMD 1,414

-54.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$11.50 JMD 1,815

-11.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.91 JMD 459

-42.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.07 JMD 484

-17.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.76 JMD 119

-32.89%

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

$3.24 JMD 511

-25.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.10 JMD 963

-47.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.23 JMD 194

7.32%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$43.3K JMD 6.8M

-31.44%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$33.9K JMD 5.3M

-30.10%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$163 JMD 25.7K

-49.66%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$22.00 JMD 3,471

4.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$50.9 JMD 8,030

-40.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$13.39 JMD 2,112

-62.81%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$228 JMD 36.0K

-13.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,519 JMD 397.4K

111.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$26.43 JMD 4,171

34.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$25.42 JMD 4,011

58.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$71.4 JMD 11.3K

10.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$75.0 JMD 11.8K

18.65%

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 Linstead: July 13, 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 $353 – 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 42% 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,328 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 42% 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 $885, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $885 versus $1,256 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.