🙂A single person spends $861 per month in Spanish Town vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,433 per month in Spanish Town vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,005 per month in Spanish Town vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
🙂Spanish Town is about 33% 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 Town36% lower, Playa del Carmen4% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Spanish Town
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.35JMD 1,158
$11.94MX$208
-38.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3JMD 9,809
$42.75MX$744
45.68%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.78JMD 1,383
$10.59MX$184
-17.09%
Cappuccino
$4.47JMD 704
$3.62MX$63.0
23.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30JMD 205
$1.47MX$25.54
-11.56%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75JMD 118
$0.94MX$16.41
-20.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.57JMD 406
$3.09MX$53.8
-16.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11JMD 490
$4.46MX$77.6
-30.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spanish Town
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.85JMD 291
$1.43MX$24.80
29.37%
White Bread(500g)
$2.67JMD 421
$1.88MX$32.79
42.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.45JMD 71.1
$1.63MX$28.34
-72.39%
Eggs
$3.22JMD 507
$2.64MX$45.99
21.97%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.19JMD 503
$8.21MX$143
-61.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$1.99JMD 314
$8.29MX$144
-76.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$2.79JMD 439
$11.10MX$193
-74.86%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24JMD 353
$2.65MX$46.14
-15.47%
Banana(1kg)
$1.87JMD 294
$1.50MX$26.11
24.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53JMD 242
$1.99MX$34.59
-23.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.94JMD 305
$2.08MX$36.13
-6.73%
Potato(1kg)
$2.12JMD 333
$1.79MX$31.11
18.44%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99JMD 314
$2.18MX$37.87
-8.72%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.02JMD 476
$1.08MX$18.73
179.63%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91JMD 144
$1.04MX$18.04
-12.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.91JMD 1,404
$3.97MX$69.1
124.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.36JMD 1,789
$10.20MX$178
11.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54JMD 242
$1.73MX$30.04
-10.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47JMD 388
$2.50MX$43.46
-1.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Spanish Town
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$0.52MX$9.02
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.97MX$469
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.11JMD 175
$3.14MX$54.7
-64.65%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.27JMD 514
$2.40MX$41.80
36.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.28JMD 988
$3.09MX$53.7
103.24%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.28JMD 202
$1.27MX$22.16
0.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.7KJMD 6.7M
$30.9KMX$537.3K
38.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.0KJMD 5.3M
$23.3KMX$405.7K
45.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spanish Town
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$161JMD 25.3K
$82.0MX$1,427
96.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.23JMD 3,501
$22.45MX$391
-0.98%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.1JMD 7,882
$29.66MX$516
68.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spanish Town
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$51.9MX$903
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.67MX$325
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.11JMD 2,064
$4.97MX$86.5
163.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spanish Town
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$225JMD 35.4K
$198MX$3,442
13.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,457JMD 386.9K
$5,273MX$91.7K
-53.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spanish Town
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.73JMD 4,052
$36.34MX$632
-29.20%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.06JMD 3,947
$40.05MX$697
-37.43%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$70.5JMD 11.1K
$79.9MX$1,390
-11.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.7JMD 12.2K
$88.9MX$1,547
-12.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spanish Town
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$156JMD 24.5K
$963MX$16.8K
-83.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$128JMD 20.1K
$465MX$8,086
-72.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$638JMD 100.5K
$1,596MX$27.8K
-60.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$373JMD 58.8K
$1,209MX$21.0K
-69.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,942MX$68.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,448MX$112.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spanish Town
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,166JMD 183.7K
$720MX$12.5K
61.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.15
11.42
-19.88%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Spanish Town: April 28, 2026
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $156 in Spanish Town versus $963 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 62% 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 – $195 in Spanish Town vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Spanish Town wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Spanish Town vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Spanish Town?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Spanish Town and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Spanish Town vs Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $861 in Spanish Town and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Spanish Town and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Spanish Town or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Spanish Town, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Spanish Town it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Spanish Town or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.
Spanish Town vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado