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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,593 in Port of Spain, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,747 in Port of Spain, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,901 in Port of Spain, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 21% cheaper than Port of Spain, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Port of Spain is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$10.50 TTD 70.7

14.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$89.6 TTD 602

-53.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.27 TTD 48.90

47.87%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.73 TTD 25.11

-6.17%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.10 TTD 7.40

31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.76 TTD 5.13

15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.90 TTD 12.80

55.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.02 TTD 20.34

49.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.71 TTD 18.24

-47.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.82 TTD 18.98

-34.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.61 TTD 17.57

-39.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$5.14 TTD 34.58

-51.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$7.77 TTD 52.3

6.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$10.60 TTD 71.3

-20.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$14.37 TTD 96.7

-25.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$5.79 TTD 38.97

-54.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.54 TTD 17.06

-43.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$4.24 TTD 28.54

-53.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$4.87 TTD 32.76

-57.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.48 TTD 9.95

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.67 TTD 11.27

29.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.94 TTD 13.03

-46.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.42 TTD 9.53

-24.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$6.06 TTD 40.76

-32.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$19.02 TTD 128

-46.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.22 TTD 14.92

-24.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.73 TTD 18.39

-7.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.05 TTD 7.04

-51.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$99.0 TTD 666

-73.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.02 TTD 6.85

216.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.29 TTD 8.65

86.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$14.61 TTD 98.3

-77.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.14 TTD 7.65

15.79%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$34.4K TTD 231.3K

-13.64%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$38.3K TTD 257.3K

-38.14%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$79.6 TTD 536

3.00%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$46.31 TTD 311

-50.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$61.4 TTD 413

-50.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$54.2 TTD 365

-4.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$13.11 TTD 88.2

41.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$10.23 TTD 68.8

-51.32%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$330 TTD 2,221

-40.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$7,163 TTD 48.2K

-25.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$60.1 TTD 404

-40.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$38.87 TTD 261

3.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$143 TTD 965

-45.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$128 TTD 860

-30.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$765 TTD 5,144

23.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$483 TTD 3,247

-1.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,824 TTD 12.3K

-9.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,285 TTD 8,646

-5.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$4,344 TTD 29.2K

-6.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,726 TTD 11.6K

274.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$770 TTD 5,177

-15.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.38

112.27%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Port of Spain: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $765 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 18% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $90.0 in Port of Spain. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $378 – 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 27%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,390 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,593 in Port of Spain. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 280% 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 $1,256, than in Port of Spain at $1,593. 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.