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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,158 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,839 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,519 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 12% more than Port Elizabeth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Port Elizabeth are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Port Elizabeth 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$9.00 R 147

30.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$44.72 R 731

-6.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.30 R 86.7

100.75%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.23 R 36.38

57.85%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.17 R 19.19

29.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.04 R 16.93

-6.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.50 R 40.81

18.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.95 R 48.28

50.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.12 R 18.23

23.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.93 R 15.22

103.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.43 R 23.31

14.69%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.49 R 40.66

0.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$7.86 R 129

6.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.86 R 79.5

71.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.05 R 132

33.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.68 R 27.42

54.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.41 R 23.12

3.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.59 R 25.96

19.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.62 R 26.49

28.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.50 R 24.45

18.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.11 R 18.20

97.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.19 R 19.49

-12.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.93 R 15.14

16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$2.96 R 48.43

37.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$5.00 R 81.7

106.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.16 R 18.99

47.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.71 R 28.03

50.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.09 R 17.89

-53.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$34.50 R 564

-23.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.68 R 43.75

21.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.44 R 7.26

465.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$8.04 R 131

-59.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.29 R 21.05

1.55%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$23.5K R 384.7K

28.66%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$25.5K R 416.3K

-7.99%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$118 R 1,925

-29.62%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$32.46 R 531

-31.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$44.22 R 723

-33.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$28.98 R 474

78.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$20.80 R 340

-11.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$9.52 R 156

-46.74%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$164 R 2,677

22.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$4,714 R 77.1K

10.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$66.6 R 1,089

-44.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$37.40 R 611

6.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$93.8 R 1,533

-16.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$90.5 R 1,480

-3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$587 R 9,589

65.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$448 R 7,319

4.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,115 R 18.2K

47.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$871 R 14.2K

40.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$776 R 12.7K

408.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$545 R 8,917

1091.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,620 R 26.5K

-59.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

12.04

-5.15%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Port Elizabeth: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $587 in Port Elizabeth. 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 144% higher in Port Elizabeth, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Port Elizabeth. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $181 in Port Elizabeth – so Port Elizabeth wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Elizabeth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 12%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,737 in Port Elizabeth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Elizabeth, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,158 in Port Elizabeth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% less in Port Elizabeth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Elizabeth, where all-in costs run around $1,158, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Port Elizabeth 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 Elizabeth – 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 Port Elizabeth. 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.