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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Spanish Town is about 20% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.10 JMD 2,528

$11.96 MX$203

34.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

$47.38 MX$804

58.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 JMD 1,404

$11.75 MX$199

-23.91%

Cappuccino

$5.21 JMD 818

$4.12 MX$70.0

26.46%

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

$1.20 JMD 188

$1.40 MX$23.74

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 JMD 114

$0.91 MX$15.48

-19.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 JMD 352

$3.21 MX$54.4

-30.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 JMD 483

$7.07 MX$120

-56.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.03 JMD 632

$1.68 MX$28.44

139.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.70 JMD 581

$2.15 MX$36.48

72.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 JMD 250

$1.77 MX$30.10

-10.17%

Eggs

$3.64 JMD 571

$2.82 MX$47.76

29.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.62 JMD 1,825

$9.20 MX$156

26.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 JMD 990

$9.23 MX$157

-31.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 JMD 1,596

$12.64 MX$214

-19.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 JMD 934

$2.95 MX$50.1

101.36%

Banana (1kg)

$3.86 JMD 606

$1.58 MX$26.79

144.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.36 JMD 1,156

$2.22 MX$37.70

231.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 493

$2.36 MX$40.09

33.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 JMD 517

$1.99 MX$33.81

65.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 JMD 334

$1.98 MX$33.58

7.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 JMD 472

$1.24 MX$21.04

141.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 JMD 236

$1.21 MX$20.55

23.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.26 JMD 1,454

$4.60 MX$78.1

101.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 JMD 1,812

$10.52 MX$178

9.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 445

$1.69 MX$28.70

68.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 JMD 635

$2.77 MX$47.06

45.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 JMD 191

$5.24 MX$88.8

-76.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 JMD 500

$3.65 MX$61.9

-12.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 JMD 1,019

$5.78 MX$98.1

12.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 JMD 212

$1.54 MX$26.09

-12.34%

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

$44.4K JMD 7.0M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

94.77%

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

$33.2K JMD 5.2M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

28.67%

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

$172 JMD 27.1K

$90.7 MX$1,538

89.95%

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

$29.62 JMD 4,652

$25.19 MX$427

17.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 JMD 8,168

$31.75 MX$539

63.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$13.19 JMD 2,072

$4.86 MX$82.5

171.40%

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

$367 JMD 57.7K

$226 MX$3,828

62.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,158 JMD 1.3M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

94.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.87 JMD 3,750

$47.38 MX$804

-49.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.43 JMD 4,938

$43.45 MX$737

-27.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 JMD 12.3K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-2.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 JMD 16.2K

$91.4 MX$1,550

12.63%

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)

$630 JMD 99.0K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-68.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 JMD 80.9K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-59.79%

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)

$1,148 JMD 180.3K

$773 MX$13.1K

48.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

11.45

-17.47%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Spanish Town: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 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 $75.0 in Spanish Town versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $278 – 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

Spanish Town vs Playa del Carmen: 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 $1,576 per month in Spanish Town and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $367 per month in Spanish Town and $226 in Playa del Carmen. 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.