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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $898 in Manchioneal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,433 in Manchioneal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,967 in Manchioneal.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 40% more expensive than in Manchioneal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Manchioneal 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.46 JMD 1,178

60.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$63.6 JMD 10.0K

-34.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.58 JMD 1,354

25.29%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.37 JMD 690

-19.91%

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

$0.77 JMD 121

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.48 JMD 391

18.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.04 JMD 480

48.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$4.28 JMD 676

-66.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$3.50 JMD 552

-47.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.55 JMD 244

1.29%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.50 JMD 552

-28.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.86 JMD 1,713

-23.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.40 JMD 1,010

31.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.49 JMD 1,181

42.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$6.10 JMD 962

-57.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$3.04 JMD 479

-52.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$4.19 JMD 660

-53.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.90 JMD 458

-27.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.11 JMD 334

-12.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.01 JMD 317

7.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$3.08 JMD 486

-66.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.43 JMD 225

-25.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$8.92 JMD 1,408

-54.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$11.11 JMD 1,753

-8.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.89 JMD 456

-41.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.20 JMD 505

-20.94%

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

$1.09 JMD 172

196.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$3.17 JMD 500

-23.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.28 JMD 991

-48.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.29 JMD 204

2.33%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$42.5K JMD 6.7M

-30.09%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$32.9K JMD 5.2M

-28.08%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$161 JMD 25.4K

-48.99%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$21.80 JMD 3,439

5.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$50.9 JMD 8,033

-40.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$13.05 JMD 2,059

-61.84%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$226 JMD 35.7K

-12.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,477 JMD 390.8K

115.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$25.63 JMD 4,044

38.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$25.81 JMD 4,073

56.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$71.2 JMD 11.2K

10.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

14.63%

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 Manchioneal: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $64.0 in Manchioneal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $348 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Manchioneal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Manchioneal differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $898 including rent). Manchioneal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $1,347 in Manchioneal to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $226 in Manchioneal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Manchioneal – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $898 in Manchioneal versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manchioneal but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Manchioneal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Manchioneal are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Manchioneal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.