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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,236 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,900 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,563 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 5% 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 6% lower, Port Elizabeth 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$199

$11.37 R 183

2.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$791

$44.17 R 709

5.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$198

$6.12 R 98.3

90.36%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.5

$2.13 R 34.16

92.02%

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

$1.37 MX$23.34

$1.10 R 17.69

24.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.16

$0.80 R 12.91

3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

$2.84 R 45.69

17.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.23 R 51.9

113.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.33

$1.22 R 19.56

41.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.39

$1.09 R 17.47

107.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.05

$1.49 R 24.00

18.79%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.41

$2.81 R 45.09

-2.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$156

$9.08 R 146

1.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$5.56 R 89.4

60.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$214

$8.62 R 138

46.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.3

$2.14 R 34.44

41.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.68

$1.59 R 25.62

-1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.10

$1.68 R 26.95

26.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.46

$1.77 R 28.44

27.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.04

$1.77 R 28.50

12.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.06

$1.42 R 22.80

45.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$20.04

$1.33 R 21.32

-11.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.45

$1.04 R 16.77

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.7

$3.37 R 54.1

37.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

$4.83 R 77.5

121.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

$1.31 R 21.03

23.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

$1.81 R 29.05

59.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

$1.18 R 18.99

-51.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

$36.87 R 592

-19.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.5

$2.17 R 34.93

151.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.9

$0.49 R 7.81

655.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

$8.56 R 138

-30.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$1.41 R 22.68

9.93%

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

$22.3K MX$379.2K

$36.5K R 586.0K

-38.80%

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

$25.9K MX$440.7K

$34.5K R 553.8K

-24.73%

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

$89.1 MX$1,514

$125 R 2,013

-28.86%

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

$25.04 MX$425

$35.65 R 573

-29.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$535

$46.87 R 753

-32.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,151

$32.16 R 517

110.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

$24.02 R 386

20.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.8

$10.92 R 175

-53.75%

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

$225 MX$3,820

$185 R 2,974

21.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.7K

$6,340 R 101.8K

-33.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$806

$72.1 R 1,158

-34.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$764

$38.23 R 614

17.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,392

$115 R 1,841

-28.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,564

$99.9 R 1,604

-7.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

$633 R 10.2K

68.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,884

$429 R 6,896

-5.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

$846 R 13.6K

128.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

$704 R 11.3K

84.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

$799 R 12.8K

400.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

$545 R 8,755

1115.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$1,641 R 26.4K

-54.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.94

-4.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Port Elizabeth: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $633 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 119% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Port Elizabeth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $203 – making Port Elizabeth 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 Elizabeth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,854 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,236 in Port Elizabeth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 24% 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 $1,236, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.