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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $922 in Port Harcourt, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,482 in Port Harcourt, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,041 in Port Harcourt, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 37% 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 5% lower, Port Harcourt 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$2.73 ₦3,717

329.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$34.62 ₦47.2K

21.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$8.05 ₦11.0K

30.56%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.08 ₦2,829

72.60%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.49 ₦669

208.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.47 ₦637

95.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.25 ₦1,707

136.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$1.60 ₦2,177

175.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.47 ₦2,008

27.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$2.73 ₦3,723

-42.86%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.19 ₦2,988

19.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.05 ₦2,800

32.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$2.81 ₦3,831

-46.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.91 ₦2,605

-2.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.88 ₦2,561

16.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.23 ₦1,680

-13.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.49 ₦662

122.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$5.24 ₦7,137

99.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.11 ₦153

390.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.79 ₦1,079

289.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$3.54 ₦4,830

-11.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$0.67 ₦914

95.52%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

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

$22.56 MX$393

$13.05 ₦17.8K

72.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$36.21 ₦49.4K

46.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$6.52 ₦8,887

-24.54%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$58.6 ₦79.9K

242.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$1,120 ₦1.5M

361.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$9.74 ₦13.3K

268.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$10.26 ₦14.0K

291.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$72.6 ₦98.9K

9.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$67.3 ₦91.8K

28.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$502 ₦684.0K

94.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$601 ₦818.9K

-21.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$1,926 ₦2.6M

-14.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$1,207 ₦1.6M

-0.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$54.4 ₦74.2K

1142.89%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Port Harcourt: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $502 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 1143% 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 $35.00 in Port Harcourt. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $100 – 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 37%, 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 $1,383 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $922 in Port Harcourt. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $58.6 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 $922, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.