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

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

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

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 50% more expensive than in Barquisimeto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$9.95 VES 8,078

17.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$49.50 VES 40.2K

-5.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$11.52 VES 9,350

1.13%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$1.72 VES 1,393

137.79%

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

$1.37 MX$23.21

$1.52 VES 1,236

-9.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.08

$1.15 VES 932

-27.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$1.28 VES 1,038

161.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.36 VES 2,724

105.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.16

$2.98 VES 2,420

-41.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.17

$2.37 VES 1,921

-4.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.88

$2.14 VES 1,734

-17.29%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.14

$3.27 VES 2,657

-16.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$7.85 VES 6,375

16.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$9.03 VES 7,331

-1.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$10.65 VES 8,647

18.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$4.59 VES 3,730

-34.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.52

$2.02 VES 1,637

-22.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.89

$0.74 VES 597

187.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.23

$0.92 VES 746

145.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.84

$0.95 VES 775

110.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.86

$1.35 VES 1,095

52.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.92

$0.65 VES 529

81.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.33

$1.61 VES 1,309

-25.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$2.92 VES 2,368

58.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$11.82 VES 9,590

-9.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.35

$1.25 VES 1,018

29.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.65

$2.81 VES 2,284

2.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$0.40 VES 324

42.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$39.68 VES 32.2K

-24.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.0

$4.96 VES 4,026

9.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$2.54 VES 2,063

45.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$15.22 VES 12.4K

-60.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.23

$0.75 VES 611

106.67%

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

$22.3K MX$377.0K

$25.1K VES 20.4M

-11.14%

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

$25.9K MX$438.2K

$31.3K VES 25.4M

-17.11%

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

$89.1 MX$1,505

$15.36 VES 12.5K

480.27%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$7.87 VES 6,386

218.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$36.72 VES 29.8K

-14.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$33.48 VES 27.2K

102.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

$8.72 VES 7,081

231.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$5.05 VES 4,100

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

$225 MX$3,798

$56.4 VES 45.8K

298.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$494 VES 401.1K

754.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$46.83 VES 38.0K

1.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$39.74 VES 32.3K

13.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$103 VES 83.5K

-20.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$81.5 VES 66.1K

13.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$213 VES 173.2K

401.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,844

$142 VES 115.3K

185.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$464 VES 376.7K

317.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$322 VES 261.2K

304.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$474 VES 384.4K

743.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.9K

$253 VES 205.4K

2518.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$185 VES 150.6K

303.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-54.20%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $213 in Barquisimeto. 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $49.00 in Barquisimeto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $281 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

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

Playa del Carmen and Barquisimeto differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($1,293 vs $861 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 304% 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $213 in Barquisimeto. 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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $861 in Barquisimeto – 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.