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 $838 per month in Spanish Town vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,404 per month in Spanish Town vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,970 per month in Spanish Town vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Spanish Town is about 34% 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 38% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.30 JMD 1,149

$11.87 MX$204

-38.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.6 JMD 9,679

$42.90 MX$736

43.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.52 JMD 1,340

$10.65 MX$183

-20.00%

Cappuccino

$4.44 JMD 699

$3.45 MX$59.2

28.70%

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

$1.33 JMD 208

$1.50 MX$25.81

-11.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 120

$0.95 MX$16.28

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 JMD 404

$3.03 MX$51.9

-15.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 JMD 500

$4.61 MX$79.1

-31.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 JMD 299

$1.38 MX$23.61

37.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 JMD 405

$1.85 MX$31.70

39.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.42 JMD 66.3

$1.61 MX$27.65

-73.91%

Eggs

$3.22 JMD 507

$2.59 MX$44.51

24.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 494

$8.26 MX$142

-61.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.98 JMD 311

$8.37 MX$144

-76.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.80 JMD 440

$10.66 MX$183

-73.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 JMD 347

$2.63 MX$45.12

-15.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 JMD 291

$1.49 MX$25.53

24.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 JMD 252

$1.92 MX$32.94

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 JMD 287

$2.09 MX$35.81

-12.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 JMD 332

$1.86 MX$31.88

13.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 JMD 304

$2.26 MX$38.81

-14.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 JMD 468

$1.06 MX$18.23

180.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 JMD 144

$1.09 MX$18.67

-15.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.76 JMD 1,377

$4.15 MX$71.2

111.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 JMD 1,793

$10.39 MX$178

9.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 JMD 243

$1.72 MX$29.59

-9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 JMD 389

$2.61 MX$44.85

-5.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 JMD 178

$3.13 MX$53.7

-63.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.24 JMD 509

$2.51 MX$43.09

29.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.33 JMD 995

$3.15 MX$54.1

100.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 201

$1.27 MX$21.88

0.79%

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

$42.2K JMD 6.6M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

39.08%

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

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

44.50%

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

$162 JMD 25.5K

$83.0 MX$1,425

95.13%

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

$21.92 JMD 3,448

$22.71 MX$390

-3.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.8 JMD 7,982

$29.46 MX$506

72.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 JMD 2,078

$4.93 MX$84.5

167.95%

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

$226 JMD 35.6K

$197 MX$3,386

14.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,483 JMD 390.4K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-52.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.33 JMD 4,141

$36.90 MX$633

-28.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 JMD 4,000

$39.89 MX$685

-36.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.4 JMD 11.4K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-9.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.2 JMD 12.1K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-13.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 JMD 24.5K

$956 MX$16.4K

-83.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 JMD 19.4K

$477 MX$8,189

-74.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 JMD 97.0K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-62.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 JMD 59.1K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-69.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,160 JMD 182.5K

$667 MX$11.4K

73.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.42

-19.88%

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

Last update for Spanish Town: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $156 in Spanish Town versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 74% 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 $62.0 in Spanish Town versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Spanish Town vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Spanish Town wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 52%, 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 $1,257 per month in Spanish Town and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Spanish Town, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $838 in Spanish Town and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Spanish Town and $197 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 $838, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.