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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,613 in Port of Spain, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,727 in Port of Spain, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,841 in Port of Spain, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 20% cheaper than Port of Spain, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Port of Spain is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$10.54 TTD 70.1

11.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$90.5 TTD 602

-48.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$8.75 TTD 58.2

33.14%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$3.80 TTD 25.29

7.63%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.05 TTD 6.99

30.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.71 TTD 4.71

16.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.28 TTD 15.15

46.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.68 TTD 24.51

87.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$2.44 TTD 16.27

-29.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$2.51 TTD 16.72

-9.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$2.88 TTD 19.15

-38.54%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$4.53 TTD 30.15

-39.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$6.85 TTD 45.56

34.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$10.12 TTD 67.4

-11.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$11.83 TTD 78.7

6.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$5.61 TTD 37.33

-46.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$3.02 TTD 20.11

-48.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$3.79 TTD 25.24

-43.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$4.27 TTD 28.41

-47.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$2.15 TTD 14.31

-6.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.95 TTD 12.94

5.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.84 TTD 12.27

-35.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.42 TTD 9.42

-15.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$6.06 TTD 40.30

-23.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$18.94 TTD 126

-43.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$2.24 TTD 14.90

-27.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$2.97 TTD 19.79

-3.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.17 TTD 7.77

-51.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$136 TTD 902

-78.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$1.03 TTD 6.82

429.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.24 TTD 8.23

198.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$14.97 TTD 99.6

-60.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.17 TTD 7.79

32.48%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$37.4K TTD 248.8K

-40.29%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$41.7K TTD 277.6K

-37.79%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$91.5 TTD 609

-2.61%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$52.4 TTD 349

-52.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$57.5 TTD 382

-45.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$57.1 TTD 380

18.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$13.12 TTD 87.3

120.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$8.72 TTD 58.0

-42.09%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$399 TTD 2,655

-43.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$11.1K TTD 73.8K

-61.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$54.8 TTD 364

-13.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$52.9 TTD 352

-15.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$147 TTD 981

-44.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$103 TTD 685

-10.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,028 TTD 6,841

4.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$518 TTD 3,449

-21.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$2,187 TTD 14.6K

-11.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,195 TTD 7,949

8.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$4,371 TTD 29.1K

-8.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,974 TTD 13.1K

235.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$776 TTD 5,165

-3.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.75

99.13%

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 of Spain: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,028 in Port of Spain. 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 4% higher in Port of Spain, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $90.0 in Port of Spain. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $358 – making Playa del Carmen 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 of Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Port of Spain is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $2,420 in Port of Spain. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,613 in Port of Spain. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 355% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Port of Spain at $1,613. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port of Spain it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port of Spain makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.