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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $907 in Port Harcourt, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,490 in Port Harcourt, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,073 in Port Harcourt, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 42% more than Port Harcourt, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Port Harcourt are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Port Harcourt 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$2.74 ₦3,743

335.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$34.86 ₦47.6K

22.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$8.00 ₦10.9K

32.38%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.00 ₦2,732

81.00%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.50 ₦682

194.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.50 ₦677

88.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.21 ₦1,654

155.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$1.56 ₦2,127

185.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.52 ₦2,074

23.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$2.82 ₦3,852

-42.20%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$2.20 ₦3,001

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$2.03 ₦2,770

30.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$2.93 ₦4,001

-48.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.96 ₦2,681

1.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.98 ₦2,703

5.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.17 ₦1,605

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.49 ₦667

112.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$4.90 ₦6,694

108.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.11 ₦152

372.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.75 ₦1,024

318.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$3.63 ₦4,956

-14.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$0.65 ₦883

95.38%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

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

$22.45 MX$391

$12.92 ₦17.6K

73.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$36.42 ₦49.7K

42.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$6.48 ₦8,846

-23.30%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$58.3 ₦79.7K

239.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$1,097 ₦1.5M

380.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$9.31 ₦12.7K

290.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$10.41 ₦14.2K

284.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$71.4 ₦97.5K

11.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$66.1 ₦90.3K

34.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$486 ₦664.1K

98.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$611 ₦835.0K

-23.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$1,949 ₦2.7M

-18.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$1,171 ₦1.6M

3.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$69.8 ₦95.3K

932.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Port Harcourt: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $486 in Port Harcourt. 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 932% 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 $35.00 in Port Harcourt. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $101 – making Port Harcourt 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 Harcourt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 42%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,361 in Port Harcourt. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Harcourt, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $907 in Port Harcourt. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $58.3 in Port Harcourt. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Harcourt, where all-in costs run around $907, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Port Harcourt 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 Harcourt – 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 Harcourt. 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.