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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $383 in Port Blair, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $613 in Port Blair, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $842 in Port Blair, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 229% 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

$11.72 MX$204

$2.35 ₹225

398.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$10.30 ₹985

306.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$3.68 ₹352

185.60%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.58 ₹151

127.22%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.40 ₹38.61

277.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.15 ₹14.01

513.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.69 ₹162

75.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$3.07 ₹294

43.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$0.71 ₹68.0

97.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.45 ₹42.93

317.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$0.72 ₹69.1

116.67%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$0.95 ₹90.6

174.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$4.85 ₹464

71.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$2.94 ₹281

184.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.03 ₹194

33.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$0.68 ₹64.8

122.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$0.99 ₹95.1

88.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$0.51 ₹48.56

329.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$0.38 ₹36.57

389.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$0.45 ₹42.86

395.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.49 ₹46.54

118.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.32 ₹30.45

240.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$3.84 ₹367

9.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$6.58 ₹629

58.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.76 ₹168

-5.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.80 ₹268

-6.79%

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

$5.10 ₹488

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.30 ₹28.86

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$8.78 ₹840

197.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.83 ₹78.9

271.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$1.44 ₹137

117.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.18 ₹112

11.02%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$13.9K ₹1.3M

114.97%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$21.8K ₹2.1M

7.05%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$39.68 ₹3,795

104.84%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$3.44 ₹329

555.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$7.33 ₹701

309.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$15.85 ₹1,516

233.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$7.00 ₹670

162.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$4.39 ₹420

12.07%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$52.3 ₹5,000

284.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$1,540 ₹147.3K

236.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$24.32 ₹2,325

47.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$25.35 ₹2,424

58.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$43.41 ₹4,152

83.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$31.65 ₹3,027

173.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$96.8 ₹9,262

909.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$74.7 ₹7,145

529.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$271 ₹25.9K

510.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$177 ₹16.9K

580.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,009 ₹96.5K

291.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$521 ₹49.9K

1167.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$624 ₹59.7K

8.36%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Port Blair: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $96.8 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 8% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $10.00 in Port Blair. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $104 – 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 229%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $575 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $383 in Port Blair. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 198% 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 $383, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.