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: $557 in Barquisimeto versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $939 in Barquisimeto versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,322 in Barquisimeto versus $3,065 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 58% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 VES 4,124

$11.73 MX$203

-36.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.54 VES 17.0K

$41.62 MX$720

-26.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 VES 5,655

$10.64 MX$184

-4.61%

Cappuccino

$1.01 VES 565

$3.52 MX$60.9

-71.31%

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

$1.18 VES 658

$1.51 MX$26.12

-21.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 VES 397

$0.97 MX$16.84

-26.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 VES 821

$2.95 MX$51.0

-50.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 VES 856

$4.45 MX$77.0

-65.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 VES 850

$1.38 MX$23.93

10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 VES 1,383

$1.89 MX$32.72

31.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 VES 550

$1.64 MX$28.32

-39.63%

Eggs

$1.62 VES 902

$2.51 MX$43.34

-35.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.10 VES 2,284

$8.34 MX$144

-50.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 VES 2,817

$8.34 MX$144

-39.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.05 VES 3,926

$10.73 MX$186

-34.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 VES 2,734

$2.60 MX$45.04

88.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 VES 547

$1.46 MX$25.20

-32.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 VES 548

$1.90 MX$32.87

-48.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 VES 544

$2.08 MX$35.91

-52.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 VES 550

$1.78 MX$30.71

-44.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 VES 819

$2.19 MX$37.80

-32.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 VES 288

$1.04 MX$17.99

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 566

$1.08 MX$18.62

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 VES 1,713

$4.08 MX$70.6

-24.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.37 VES 7,453

$10.32 MX$178

29.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 VES 434

$1.71 MX$29.61

-54.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 567

$2.58 MX$44.54

-60.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 VES 245

$0.51 MX$8.81

-13.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 VES 2,847

$3.26 MX$56.4

56.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 VES 286

$1.31 MX$22.61

-61.07%

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

$24.7K VES 13.8M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-18.27%

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

$36.4K VES 20.3M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

55.37%

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

$20.08 VES 11.2K

$82.9 MX$1,433

-75.77%

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

$10.08 VES 5,618

$22.22 MX$384

-54.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.41 VES 22.5K

$29.34 MX$507

37.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.57 VES 12.6K

$51.6 MX$893

-56.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 VES 2,501

$5.07 MX$87.6

-11.44%

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

$50.1 VES 27.9K

$201 MX$3,473

-75.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.93 VES 15.6K

$36.92 MX$639

-24.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.91 VES 13.9K

$39.79 MX$688

-37.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.3 VES 28.0K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-35.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.45 VES 27.6K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-43.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 VES 110.9K

$973 MX$16.8K

-79.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$50.7 VES 28.2K

$468 MX$8,090

-89.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 VES 136.9K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-85.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 VES 82.9K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-87.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$469 VES 261.3K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-88.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$248 VES 138.4K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-96.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 VES 105.9K

$664 MX$11.5K

-71.39%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Barquisimeto and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 249% 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: $31.00 in Barquisimeto vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 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 ($557 vs $1,297 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 249% less. 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: $199 in Barquisimeto versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $557 per month in Barquisimeto versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 133% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $557 in Barquisimeto versus $1,297 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.