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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $538 in Barquisimeto versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $918 in Barquisimeto versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,298 in Barquisimeto versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Barquisimeto costs roughly 57% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barquisimeto 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 VES 5,384

$11.99 MX$210

-38.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.12 VES 22.1K

$41.78 MX$733

-27.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 VES 7,319

$10.75 MX$189

-7.35%

Cappuccino

$0.97 VES 715

$3.50 MX$61.3

-72.29%

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

$1.20 VES 884

$1.45 MX$25.41

-17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 VES 540

$0.88 MX$15.52

-17.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 VES 1,085

$2.95 MX$51.7

-49.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 VES 1,135

$4.51 MX$79.1

-65.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 VES 1,117

$1.43 MX$25.12

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 VES 1,859

$1.84 MX$32.23

37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 VES 747

$1.57 MX$27.51

-35.03%

Eggs

$1.64 VES 1,207

$2.51 MX$44.06

-34.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.06 VES 2,983

$8.28 MX$145

-50.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 VES 3,698

$8.43 MX$148

-40.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.95 VES 5,109

$10.68 MX$187

-34.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 VES 3,598

$2.61 MX$45.76

87.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 VES 723

$1.44 MX$25.22

-31.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 VES 744

$1.96 MX$34.41

-48.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 VES 756

$2.09 MX$36.74

-50.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 VES 727

$1.85 MX$32.47

-46.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 VES 1,112

$2.17 MX$38.02

-30.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 VES 384

$1.03 MX$18.09

-49.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 748

$1.07 MX$18.84

-4.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 VES 2,156

$4.10 MX$72.0

-28.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.34 VES 9,807

$10.17 MX$178

31.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 VES 583

$1.68 MX$29.38

-52.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 VES 718

$2.53 MX$44.31

-61.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 VES 323

$0.51 MX$8.93

-13.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 VES 3,584

$3.23 MX$56.7

51.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 VES 359

$1.32 MX$23.17

-62.88%

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

$24.5K VES 18.0M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-17.45%

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

$35.7K VES 26.3M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

51.03%

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

$19.97 VES 14.7K

$82.0 MX$1,439

-75.65%

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

$10.07 VES 7,399

$22.95 MX$403

-56.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.16 VES 29.5K

$30.11 MX$528

33.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.92 VES 16.9K

$52.0 MX$912

-55.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 VES 3,294

$4.98 MX$87.3

-10.04%

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

$50.2 VES 36.9K

$197 MX$3,463

-74.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.49 VES 20.2K

$35.60 MX$624

-22.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.55 VES 18.0K

$40.33 MX$707

-39.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.8 VES 37.4K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-35.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.06 VES 36.1K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-44.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 VES 148.7K

$947 MX$16.6K

-78.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.50 VES 36.4K

$474 MX$8,314

-89.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 VES 185.9K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-84.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 VES 110.7K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-87.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$473 VES 348.0K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-88.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$245 VES 180.3K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-96.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$188 VES 138.4K

$654 MX$11.5K

-71.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Barquisimeto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $202 in Barquisimeto and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 247% 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: $30.00 in Barquisimeto vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $249 per month, with Barquisimeto 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

Barquisimeto vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barquisimeto and Playa del Carmen differ by about 133% in total monthly costs ($538 vs $1,256 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 247% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $202 in Barquisimeto versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $538 per month in Barquisimeto versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 133% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $538 in Barquisimeto versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Barquisimeto but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Barquisimeto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Barquisimeto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.