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: $861 in Barquisimeto versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,472 in Barquisimeto versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,083 in Barquisimeto versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Barquisimeto costs roughly 33% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barquisimeto 37% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.95 VES 8,078

$11.71 MX$198

-15.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.50 VES 40.2K

$46.59 MX$787

6.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.52 VES 9,350

$11.65 MX$197

-1.12%

Cappuccino

$1.72 VES 1,393

$4.09 MX$69.1

-57.95%

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

$1.52 VES 1,236

$1.37 MX$23.21

10.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 VES 932

$0.83 MX$14.08

38.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 VES 1,038

$3.35 MX$56.6

-61.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 VES 2,724

$6.91 MX$117

-51.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.98 VES 2,420

$1.73 MX$29.16

72.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 VES 1,921

$2.26 MX$38.17

4.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 VES 1,734

$1.77 MX$29.88

20.90%

Eggs

$3.27 VES 2,657

$2.73 MX$46.14

19.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 VES 6,375

$9.18 MX$155

-14.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 VES 7,331

$8.92 MX$151

1.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 VES 8,647

$12.60 MX$213

-15.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 VES 3,730

$3.02 MX$51.0

51.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 VES 1,637

$1.57 MX$26.52

28.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 VES 597

$2.13 MX$35.89

-65.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 VES 746

$2.26 MX$38.23

-59.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 VES 775

$2.00 MX$33.84

-52.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 VES 1,095

$2.06 MX$34.86

-34.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 VES 529

$1.18 MX$19.92

-44.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 VES 1,309

$1.20 MX$20.33

34.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 VES 2,368

$4.63 MX$78.3

-36.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.82 VES 9,590

$10.69 MX$180

10.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 VES 1,018

$1.62 MX$27.35

-22.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 VES 2,284

$2.88 MX$48.65

-2.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 VES 324

$0.57 MX$9.68

-29.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.68 VES 32.2K

$29.83 MX$504

33.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 VES 4,026

$5.45 MX$92.0

-8.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 VES 2,063

$3.70 MX$62.6

-31.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.22 VES 12.4K

$5.98 MX$101

154.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 VES 611

$1.55 MX$26.23

-51.61%

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

$25.1K VES 20.4M

$22.3K MX$377.0K

12.54%

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

$31.3K VES 25.4M

$25.9K MX$438.2K

20.64%

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

$15.36 VES 12.5K

$89.1 MX$1,505

-82.77%

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

$7.87 VES 6,386

$25.04 MX$423

-68.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.72 VES 29.8K

$31.50 MX$532

16.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.48 VES 27.2K

$67.8 MX$1,145

-50.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.72 VES 7,081

$28.92 MX$488

-69.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 VES 4,100

$5.05 MX$85.3

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

$56.4 VES 45.8K

$225 MX$3,798

-74.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$494 VES 401.1K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

-88.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.83 VES 38.0K

$47.44 MX$801

-1.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.74 VES 32.3K

$44.98 MX$759

-11.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 VES 83.5K

$82.0 MX$1,384

25.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 VES 66.1K

$92.1 MX$1,555

-11.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 VES 173.2K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-80.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$142 VES 115.3K

$405 MX$6,844

-64.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 VES 376.7K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-76.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 VES 261.2K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-75.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$474 VES 384.4K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-88.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$253 VES 205.4K

$6,626 MX$111.9K

-96.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 VES 150.6K

$749 MX$12.6K

-75.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

118.34%

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

Last update for Barquisimeto: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $213 in Barquisimeto and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 304% 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: $49.00 in Barquisimeto vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $277 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 50% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $1,293 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 304% 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: $213 in Barquisimeto versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Barquisimeto – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Barquisimeto versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Barquisimeto versus $1,293 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 50% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.