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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $734 in Maracaibo versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,244 in Maracaibo versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Maracaibo versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Maracaibo costs roughly 43% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maracaibo 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 VES 5,777

$11.73 MX$203

-11.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.97 VES 22.3K

$41.62 MX$720

-3.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 VES 4,915

$10.64 MX$184

-17.11%

Cappuccino

$2.65 VES 1,476

$3.52 MX$60.9

-24.72%

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

$1.20 VES 671

$1.51 MX$26.12

-20.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 VES 724

$0.97 MX$16.84

34.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 VES 1,290

$2.95 MX$51.0

-21.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 VES 1,643

$4.45 MX$77.0

-33.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 VES 996

$1.38 MX$23.93

29.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 VES 1,080

$1.89 MX$32.72

2.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 VES 607

$1.64 MX$28.32

-33.54%

Eggs

$3.19 VES 1,775

$2.51 MX$43.34

27.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.95 VES 3,318

$8.34 MX$144

-28.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.39 VES 3,003

$8.34 MX$144

-35.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.08 VES 3,386

$10.73 MX$186

-43.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 VES 2,513

$2.60 MX$45.04

73.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 VES 769

$1.46 MX$25.20

-5.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 VES 954

$1.90 MX$32.87

-10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 VES 820

$2.08 MX$35.91

-29.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 VES 649

$1.78 MX$30.71

-34.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 VES 905

$2.19 MX$37.80

-26.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 VES 564

$1.04 MX$17.99

-2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 VES 889

$1.08 MX$18.62

48.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 VES 1,914

$4.08 MX$70.6

-15.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 VES 4,997

$10.32 MX$178

-13.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 VES 591

$1.71 MX$29.61

-38.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 VES 1,473

$2.58 MX$44.54

2.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 VES 287

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.83 VES 23.3K

$26.46 MX$458

58.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 VES 2,290

$3.26 MX$56.4

26.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 VES 1,087

$2.49 MX$43.09

-21.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.77 VES 9,900

$3.25 MX$56.2

446.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 VES 269

$1.31 MX$22.61

-63.36%

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

$22.2K VES 12.4M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-26.68%

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

$31.0K VES 17.3M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

32.33%

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

$16.22 VES 9,038

$82.9 MX$1,433

-80.43%

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

$9.02 VES 5,028

$22.22 MX$384

-59.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.85 VES 14.4K

$29.34 MX$507

-11.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.34 VES 19.1K

$51.6 MX$893

-33.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.43 VES 13.1K

$18.32 MX$317

27.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 VES 2,807

$5.07 MX$87.6

-0.59%

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

$112 VES 62.5K

$201 MX$3,473

-44.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K VES 7.8M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

167.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.75 VES 23.3K

$36.92 MX$639

13.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.17 VES 23.5K

$39.79 MX$688

5.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.8 VES 32.2K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-26.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 VES 33.6K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-30.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 VES 100.5K

$973 MX$16.8K

-81.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 VES 56.0K

$468 MX$8,090

-78.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$330 VES 183.7K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-79.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$209 VES 116.6K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-82.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$759 VES 423.0K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-80.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$502 VES 279.5K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-92.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$196 VES 109.5K

$664 MX$11.5K

-70.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.6

11.42

132.92%

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

Last update for Maracaibo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Maracaibo and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 238% 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: $40.00 in Maracaibo vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $249 per month, with Maracaibo 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

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

Maracaibo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 238% 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: $180 in Maracaibo versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $112 in Maracaibo versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $734 in Maracaibo versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maracaibo but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Maracaibo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Maracaibo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Maracaibo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.