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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $765 in Mandeville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,279 in Mandeville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,794 in Mandeville.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 64% more expensive than in Mandeville, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Mandeville 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$6.17 JMD 974

94.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$63.0 JMD 9,933

-33.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.63 JMD 1,362

24.57%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.16 JMD 341

62.04%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.99 JMD 156

46.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.72 JMD 113

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.21 JMD 348

33.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.79 JMD 441

61.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$4.30 JMD 678

-66.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.15 JMD 339

-14.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.61 JMD 255

-2.48%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.47 JMD 547

-27.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$11.22 JMD 1,771

-26.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.46 JMD 1,020

30.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.83 JMD 1,235

36.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$6.00 JMD 947

-56.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$3.10 JMD 490

-53.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$4.14 JMD 654

-52.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.90 JMD 458

-27.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.08 JMD 329

-11.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.03 JMD 320

6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$2.99 JMD 472

-65.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.49 JMD 234

-28.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$8.26 JMD 1,303

-50.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$11.18 JMD 1,765

-9.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.76 JMD 436

-39.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.09 JMD 488

-18.12%

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

$1.12 JMD 177

188.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$3.21 JMD 506

-24.92%

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 195

7.32%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

-30.31%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

-29.91%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$92.9 JMD 14.7K

-11.67%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$22.15 JMD 3,495

3.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$50.3 JMD 7,943

-40.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$10.77 JMD 1,700

72.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$13.21 JMD 2,085

-62.30%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$226 JMD 35.7K

-12.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,532 JMD 399.5K

110.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$26.32 JMD 4,153

35.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$26.02 JMD 4,105

55.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$71.6 JMD 11.3K

9.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$76.4 JMD 12.1K

16.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$463 JMD 73.0K

104.63%

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

$1,768 JMD 279.0K

129.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$497 JMD 78.4K

31.53%

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 Mandeville: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $463 in Mandeville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 32% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $63.0 in Mandeville for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $336 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 Mandeville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandeville is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 32% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $463 in Mandeville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

Dining out is cheaper in Mandeville – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $765 in Mandeville versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mandeville but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mandeville the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mandeville is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Mandeville 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 Mandeville gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.