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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $868 in Manchioneal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,419 in Manchioneal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,971 in Manchioneal.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 49% more expensive than Manchioneal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Manchioneal 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.33 JMD 1,153

60.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$63.7 JMD 10.0K

-34.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.99 JMD 1,413

18.35%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$4.36 JMD 686

-19.27%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.37 JMD 216

10.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.71 JMD 111

36.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.57 JMD 404

14.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.18 JMD 499

39.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$4.20 JMD 661

-67.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.63 JMD 571

-47.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.63 JMD 256

0.61%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.60 JMD 566

-30.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.98 JMD 1,727

-24.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.23 JMD 980

33.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.72 JMD 1,214

38.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$5.96 JMD 938

-56.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$3.11 JMD 489

-53.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$4.29 JMD 674

-55.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.99 JMD 470

-30.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.11 JMD 331

-15.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.93 JMD 304

13.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$3.14 JMD 493

-66.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.44 JMD 226

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$8.64 JMD 1,358

-52.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$11.22 JMD 1,765

-8.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.87 JMD 451

-40.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$3.14 JMD 494

-17.83%

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

$1.07 JMD 168

204.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$3.22 JMD 507

-22.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$6.28 JMD 987

-48.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.24 JMD 194

5.65%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$42.9K JMD 6.7M

-29.37%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$33.9K JMD 5.3M

-30.96%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$161 JMD 25.3K

-48.52%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$22.19 JMD 3,489

0.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$50.7 JMD 7,965

-42.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$13.06 JMD 2,054

-61.18%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$227 JMD 35.7K

-11.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$2,470 JMD 388.4K

110.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$26.55 JMD 4,174

39.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$25.84 JMD 4,064

53.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$70.5 JMD 11.1K

11.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$76.0 JMD 11.9K

14.62%

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 Manchioneal: June 1, 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 $350 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 49% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $868 including rent). Manchioneal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,302 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 $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $227 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 $868 in Manchioneal versus $1,297 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 49% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.