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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $642 per month in Maracay vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,125 per month in Maracay vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,608 per month in Maracay vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Maracay is about 49% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Maracay and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Maracay 52% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.97 VES 8,796

$11.99 MX$210

-0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 VES 40.2K

$41.78 MX$733

31.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 VES 5,401

$10.75 MX$189

-31.63%

Cappuccino

$1.34 VES 985

$3.50 MX$61.3

-61.71%

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

$1.23 VES 904

$1.45 MX$25.41

-15.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 751

$0.88 MX$15.52

15.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.54 VES 1,134

$2.95 MX$51.7

-47.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 VES 1,487

$4.51 MX$79.1

-55.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 VES 1,335

$1.43 MX$25.12

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 VES 1,991

$1.84 MX$32.23

47.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 VES 790

$1.57 MX$27.51

-31.85%

Eggs

$2.23 VES 1,641

$2.51 MX$44.06

-11.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.81 VES 5,004

$8.28 MX$145

-17.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 VES 4,014

$8.43 MX$148

-35.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 VES 5,416

$10.68 MX$187

-30.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 VES 2,876

$2.61 MX$45.76

49.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 VES 1,369

$1.44 MX$25.22

29.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 VES 1,596

$1.96 MX$34.41

10.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 VES 1,509

$2.09 MX$36.74

-1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 VES 1,943

$1.85 MX$32.47

42.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 VES 1,573

$2.17 MX$38.02

-1.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 VES 951

$1.03 MX$18.09

25.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 VES 1,400

$1.07 MX$18.84

77.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 VES 1,864

$4.10 MX$72.0

-38.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.82 VES 7,217

$10.17 MX$178

-3.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 VES 861

$1.68 MX$29.38

-30.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 VES 1,270

$2.53 MX$44.31

-31.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 VES 230

$0.51 MX$8.93

-39.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 VES 2,158

$3.23 MX$56.7

-8.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.77 VES 2,038

$2.41 MX$42.19

14.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.14 VES 7,452

$3.23 MX$56.6

213.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 VES 375

$1.32 MX$23.17

-61.36%

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

$24.9K VES 18.3M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-16.05%

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

$39.6K VES 29.1M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

67.19%

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

$10.06 VES 7,398

$82.0 MX$1,439

-87.73%

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

$13.14 VES 9,658

$22.95 MX$403

-42.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.46 VES 29.0K

$30.11 MX$528

31.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 VES 39.0K

$52.0 MX$912

2.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$3.55 VES 2,606

$4.98 MX$87.3

-28.71%

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

$130 VES 95.9K

$197 MX$3,463

-33.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,448 VES 4.0M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

2.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.53 VES 18.0K

$35.60 MX$624

-31.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.53 VES 21.7K

$40.33 MX$707

-26.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 VES 58.4K

$78.8 MX$1,381

0.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 VES 74.9K

$88.9 MX$1,560

14.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$444 VES 326.0K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-89.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$203 VES 149.0K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-96.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$179 VES 131.5K

$654 MX$11.5K

-72.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.33

11.42

86.78%

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

Last update for Maracay: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 265% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Maracay versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $247 in Maracay vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Maracay wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 96% more than Maracay, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $963 per month in Maracay and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $642 in Maracay and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $130 per month in Maracay and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Maracay, where all-in costs run around $642, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Maracay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maracay costs $642 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Maracay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.