Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Spanish Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Spanish Town

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,050 in Spanish Town, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,982 in Spanish Town, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,913 in Spanish Town, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 24% more than Spanish Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Spanish Town are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Spanish Town 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$16.10 JMD 2,528

-25.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

-36.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$8.94 JMD 1,404

31.43%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$5.21 JMD 818

-20.92%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.20 JMD 188

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.73 JMD 114

24.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.24 JMD 352

43.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.07 JMD 483

130.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$4.03 JMD 632

-58.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$3.70 JMD 581

-41.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.59 JMD 250

11.32%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.64 JMD 571

-22.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$11.62 JMD 1,825

-20.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.31 JMD 990

46.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.16 JMD 1,596

24.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$5.94 JMD 934

-50.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$3.86 JMD 606

-59.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$7.36 JMD 1,156

-69.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.14 JMD 493

-24.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$3.29 JMD 517

-39.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.12 JMD 334

-6.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$3.00 JMD 472

-58.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.50 JMD 236

-19.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$9.26 JMD 1,454

-50.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$11.53 JMD 1,812

-8.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.84 JMD 445

-40.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$4.04 JMD 635

-31.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.22 JMD 191

329.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$3.19 JMD 500

14.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$6.49 JMD 1,019

-10.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.35 JMD 212

14.07%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$44.4K JMD 7.0M

-48.66%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$33.2K JMD 5.2M

-22.28%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$172 JMD 27.1K

-47.36%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$29.62 JMD 4,652

-14.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$52.0 JMD 8,168

-38.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$13.19 JMD 2,072

-63.15%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$367 JMD 57.7K

-38.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$8,158 JMD 1.3M

-48.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$23.87 JMD 3,750

98.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$31.43 JMD 4,938

38.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$78.1 JMD 12.3K

2.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$103 JMD 16.2K

-11.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$630 JMD 99.0K

212.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$515 JMD 80.9K

148.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,148 JMD 180.3K

-32.61%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Spanish Town: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 48% higher in Spanish Town, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $75.0 in Spanish Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $383 – 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 Spanish Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,576 in Spanish Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,050 in Spanish Town. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $367 in Spanish Town. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Spanish Town, where all-in costs run around $1,050, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Spanish Town it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Spanish Town – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Spanish Town. 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.