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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $538 in Barquisimeto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $918 in Barquisimeto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,298 in Barquisimeto.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 133% more expensive than in Barquisimeto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Barquisimeto 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.32 VES 5,384

63.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$30.12 VES 22.1K

38.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$9.96 VES 7,319

7.93%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$0.97 VES 715

260.82%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.20 VES 884

20.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.73 VES 540

20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.48 VES 1,085

99.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.54 VES 1,135

192.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.52 VES 1,117

-5.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.53 VES 1,859

-27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.02 VES 747

53.92%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.64 VES 1,207

53.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$4.06 VES 2,983

103.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.03 VES 3,698

67.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$6.95 VES 5,109

53.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$4.89 VES 3,598

-46.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.98 VES 723

46.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.01 VES 744

94.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.03 VES 756

102.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.99 VES 727

86.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.51 VES 1,112

43.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.52 VES 384

98.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.02 VES 748

4.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.93 VES 2,156

39.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$13.34 VES 9,807

-23.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.79 VES 583

112.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$0.98 VES 718

158.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.44 VES 323

15.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$4.88 VES 3,584

-33.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.49 VES 359

169.39%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$24.5K VES 18.0M

21.14%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$35.7K VES 26.3M

-33.79%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$19.97 VES 14.7K

310.67%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$10.07 VES 7,399

127.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$40.16 VES 29.5K

-25.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$22.92 VES 16.9K

126.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.48 VES 3,294

11.16%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$50.2 VES 36.9K

293.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$27.49 VES 20.2K

29.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$24.55 VES 18.0K

64.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$50.8 VES 37.4K

54.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$49.06 VES 36.1K

81.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$202 VES 148.7K

368.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$49.50 VES 36.4K

857.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$253 VES 185.9K

549.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$151 VES 110.7K

703.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$473 VES 348.0K

756.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$245 VES 180.3K

2537.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$188 VES 138.4K

247.35%

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 Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $202 in Barquisimeto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 247% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $30.00 in Barquisimeto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $202 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

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

Playa del Carmen and Barquisimeto differ by about 133% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $538 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 247% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $202 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $538 in Barquisimeto – a 133% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $538 in Barquisimeto versus $1,256 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.