Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Port Blair Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Port Blair

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $388 in Port Blair, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $619 in Port Blair, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $849 in Port Blair, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 227% more than Port Blair, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Port Blair are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Port Blair 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.31 ₹220

413.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$10.60 ₹1,008

304.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.80 ₹361

180.26%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.57 ₹149

119.75%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.40 ₹38.32

275.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.15 ₹14.18

533.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.71 ₹163

77.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.99 ₹284

54.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.66 ₹62.5

109.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.49 ₹46.43

277.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.67 ₹63.5

140.30%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$0.89 ₹84.4

191.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$5.12 ₹487

61.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$2.92 ₹278

186.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.07 ₹197

27.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.68 ₹64.5

119.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.95 ₹90.1

102.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.53 ₹50.8

294.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.36 ₹34.06

416.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.45 ₹42.92

402.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.48 ₹46.03

120.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.35 ₹32.84

211.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.99 ₹379

4.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$8.10 ₹770

28.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.69 ₹160

1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.77 ₹263

-5.78%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.28 ₹502

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.30 ₹28.54

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$8.61 ₹818

212.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.78 ₹74.1

301.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$1.48 ₹141

112.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.16 ₹110

9.48%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$13.7K ₹1.3M

121.52%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$21.8K ₹2.1M

7.89%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$39.58 ₹3,764

109.70%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$3.47 ₹330

554.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$7.36 ₹700

300.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$15.99 ₹1,521

218.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$6.93 ₹659

164.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$4.37 ₹415

12.81%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$51.0 ₹4,854

286.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$1,522 ₹144.8K

246.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$24.04 ₹2,286

53.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$24.71 ₹2,350

61.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$43.31 ₹4,118

84.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$31.87 ₹3,030

180.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$95.2 ₹9,050

904.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$77.4 ₹7,365

516.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$270 ₹25.7K

508.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$182 ₹17.3K

574.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$985 ₹93.7K

297.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$517 ₹49.2K

1148.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$638 ₹60.7K

4.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.67

31.72%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Port Blair: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $95.2 in Port Blair. 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 4% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Port Blair. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $107 – making Port Blair 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 Port Blair: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 227%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $582 in Port Blair. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Blair, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $388 in Port Blair. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 213% less in Port Blair. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Port Blair, where all-in costs run around $388, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Port Blair it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Port Blair. 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.