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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $383 in Port Blair, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $607 in Port Blair, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $832 in Port Blair, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 230% 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 6% lower, Port Blair 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$2.39 ₹225

388.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$10.68 ₹1,002

292.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$3.63 ₹340

186.50%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$1.59 ₹150

127.04%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.37 ₹35.13

297.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.17 ₹16.31

435.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$1.77 ₹166

71.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$3.00 ₹282

49.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$0.70 ₹65.9

97.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.45 ₹41.96

308.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$0.67 ₹62.6

140.30%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$0.90 ₹84.3

185.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$5.10 ₹479

66.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$2.98 ₹279

184.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$2.00 ₹187

36.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$0.72 ₹67.3

108.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$0.93 ₹87.8

110.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$0.50 ₹47.37

324.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.38 ₹36.03

389.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.44 ₹41.71

393.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.48 ₹45.24

122.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.32 ₹29.57

228.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$4.03 ₹379

3.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$7.32 ₹687

40.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.77 ₹166

-5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.80 ₹263

-11.07%

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

$5.05 ₹474

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.30 ₹28.37

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$8.74 ₹820

200.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.84 ₹78.8

269.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$1.43 ₹135

126.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.22 ₹115

3.28%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$14.1K ₹1.3M

113.60%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$21.6K ₹2.0M

8.39%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$39.10 ₹3,669

114.81%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$3.53 ₹331

529.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$7.32 ₹687

305.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$16.16 ₹1,517

225.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$6.98 ₹655

162.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$4.35 ₹408

13.79%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$50.7 ₹4,755

291.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$1,557 ₹146.2K

241.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$24.54 ₹2,303

46.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$25.60 ₹2,403

56.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$43.18 ₹4,053

82.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$31.87 ₹2,991

171.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$96.9 ₹9,095

907.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$76.0 ₹7,133

519.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$278 ₹26.1K

472.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$183 ₹17.2K

563.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$946 ₹88.8K

326.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$523 ₹49.1K

1158.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$651 ₹61.1K

9.77%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Port Blair: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $97 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 10% 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $11 in Port Blair. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $105 – 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 230%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $574 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 $1,261 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 201% 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 $1,261. 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.