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: $783 in Maracaibo versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,303 in Maracaibo versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,823 in Maracaibo versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Maracaibo costs roughly 40% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maracaibo 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.44 VES 8,665

$11.96 MX$203

-12.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.65 VES 33.8K

$47.38 MX$805

-14.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.04 VES 7,510

$11.75 MX$200

-23.06%

Cappuccino

$2.67 VES 2,219

$4.12 MX$70.1

-35.19%

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

$1.14 VES 944

$1.40 MX$23.78

-18.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 VES 1,106

$0.91 MX$15.50

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 VES 1,858

$3.21 MX$54.5

-30.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 VES 2,428

$7.07 MX$120

-58.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 VES 1,476

$1.68 MX$28.49

5.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 VES 1,750

$2.15 MX$36.53

-1.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 VES 856

$1.77 MX$30.14

-41.81%

Eggs

$3.73 VES 3,101

$2.82 MX$47.83

32.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 VES 5,560

$9.20 MX$156

-27.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 VES 5,370

$9.23 MX$157

-29.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 VES 6,199

$12.64 MX$215

-40.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 VES 3,916

$2.95 MX$50.1

60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 VES 1,135

$1.58 MX$26.83

-13.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 VES 1,290

$2.22 MX$37.76

-30.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 VES 1,174

$2.36 MX$40.15

-40.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 VES 1,021

$1.99 MX$33.86

-38.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 VES 1,449

$1.98 MX$33.63

-11.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 VES 810

$1.24 MX$21.07

-20.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 VES 1,684

$1.21 MX$20.58

67.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 VES 2,464

$4.60 MX$78.2

-35.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 VES 7,447

$10.52 MX$179

-14.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 VES 903

$1.69 MX$28.74

-35.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 VES 2,171

$2.77 MX$47.13

-5.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 VES 360

$0.60 MX$10.24

-28.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.84 VES 34.7K

$29.70 MX$505

40.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 VES 3,416

$5.24 MX$89.0

-21.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 VES 1,692

$3.65 MX$62.0

-44.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.34 VES 14.4K

$5.78 MX$98.3

200.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 VES 546

$1.54 MX$26.13

-57.14%

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

$14.9K VES 12.4M

$22.8K MX$387.4K

-34.67%

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

$28.5K VES 23.7M

$25.8K MX$438.5K

10.36%

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

$63.0 VES 52.3K

$90.7 MX$1,540

-30.52%

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

$7.31 VES 6,072

$25.19 MX$428

-70.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.06 VES 20.8K

$31.75 MX$539

-21.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.94 VES 28.2K

$68.8 MX$1,169

-50.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.21 VES 23.4K

$29.37 MX$499

-3.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 VES 4,211

$4.86 MX$82.6

4.32%

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

$153 VES 127.0K

$226 MX$3,834

-32.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,201 VES 6.0M

$4,194 MX$71.2K

71.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.67 VES 23.0K

$47.38 MX$805

-41.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.17 VES 26.7K

$43.45 MX$738

-25.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 VES 50.9K

$80.2 MX$1,363

-23.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 VES 47.8K

$91.4 MX$1,552

-37.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$162 VES 134.8K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-85.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$93.1 VES 77.3K

$409 MX$6,943

-77.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 VES 247.4K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-84.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 VES 163.4K

$1,281 MX$21.8K

-84.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$743 VES 616.6K

$4,046 MX$68.7K

-81.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$506 VES 420.6K

$6,704 MX$113.9K

-92.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 VES 166.3K

$773 MX$13.1K

-74.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

74.67%

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

Last update for Maracaibo: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $162 in Maracaibo and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 286% 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: $41.00 in Maracaibo vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $278 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 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 286% 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: $162 in Maracaibo versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $153 in Maracaibo versus $226 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 15% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $783 in Maracaibo versus $1,305 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 67% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.