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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $710 in Porlamar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,135 in Porlamar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,560 in Porlamar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 84% more than Porlamar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Porlamar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Porlamar 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$4.61 VES 3,828

159.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$41.89 VES 34.8K

13.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$9.18 VES 7,622

28.00%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.85 VES 1,536

122.70%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.04 VES 1,690

-31.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.29 VES 1,070

-29.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$0.99 VES 818

224.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.28 VES 1,890

210.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.68 VES 1,394

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.48 VES 1,233

45.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.17 VES 972

51.28%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.03 VES 1,684

38.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$5.84 VES 4,847

57.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.58 VES 5,467

40.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.42 VES 6,162

70.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$4.16 VES 3,456

-29.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.78 VES 1,474

-11.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.48 VES 1,230

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.71 VES 1,420

38.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.67 VES 1,390

19.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.56 VES 1,299

26.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.85 VES 1,533

-32.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.98 VES 812

23.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$3.07 VES 2,550

49.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$6.41 VES 5,326

64.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.75 VES 619

125.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.62 VES 1,342

70.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.43 VES 361

39.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$15.04 VES 12.5K

97.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$5.08 VES 4,218

3.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.47 VES 1,220

148.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.52 VES 431

196.15%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$20.1K VES 16.7M

13.32%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$35.0K VES 29.0M

-26.20%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$21.03 VES 17.5K

331.15%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$7.66 VES 6,359

228.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$31.81 VES 26.4K

-0.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$40.22 VES 33.4K

71.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$12.47 VES 10.4K

135.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$3.46 VES 2,871

40.46%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$29.61 VES 24.6K

662.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$30.05 VES 25.0K

57.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$44.67 VES 37.1K

-2.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$58.9 VES 48.9K

36.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$75.5 VES 62.7K

20.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$197 VES 163.8K

450.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$152 VES 126.3K

168.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$334 VES 277.1K

490.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$197 VES 164.0K

548.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$404 VES 335.7K

900.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$148 VES 123.3K

4416.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$215 VES 178.8K

259.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-42.75%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Porlamar: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $197 in Porlamar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 259% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.00 in Porlamar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $210 – making Porlamar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Porlamar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 84%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,066 in Porlamar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Porlamar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $710 in Porlamar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 97% less in Porlamar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Porlamar, where all-in costs run around $710, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Porlamar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Porlamar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Porlamar. 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.