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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $904 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,404 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,904 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$7.37 R 122

62.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$27.68 R 458

54.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$5.11 R 84.6

107.24%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.01 R 33.24

80.10%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.87 R 14.40

68.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.67 R 11.10

40.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.92 R 31.76

60.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$2.25 R 37.28

98.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$0.86 R 14.31

66.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.66 R 10.91

184.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.09 R 18.04

49.54%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.32 R 21.90

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$6.62 R 110

24.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$3.30 R 54.7

151.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$6.13 R 101

81.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$1.10 R 18.24

140.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$0.65 R 10.82

130.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$0.54 R 9.01

268.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.35 R 22.38

54.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$0.59 R 9.71

203.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.23 R 20.32

77.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.80 R 13.27

35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.54 R 8.93

92.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$2.99 R 49.47

32.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$4.89 R 80.9

108.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.45 R 24.04

19.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$1.75 R 28.90

42.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$1.60 R 26.50

-67.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$1.72 R 28.51

82.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.63 R 10.41

280.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$6.78 R 112

-54.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.25 R 20.71

1.60%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$20.0K R 331.1K

54.35%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$23.5K R 389.2K

-0.85%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$111 R 1,831

-25.88%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$16.57 R 274

35.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$34.18 R 566

-13.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$28.96 R 479

79.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$6.73 R 111

-26.15%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$203 R 3,354

-2.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$4,660 R 77.1K

13.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$41.45 R 686

-12.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$30.45 R 504

31.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$95.3 R 1,577

-16.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$71.5 R 1,183

24.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$364 R 6,026

164.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$335 R 5,547

38.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$698 R 11.5K

128.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$679 R 11.2K

78.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$842 R 13.9K

368.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$680 R 11.3K

847.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$3,001 R 49.7K

-76.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

12.01

-4.91%

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 Shepstone: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $364 in Port Shepstone. 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 317% higher in Port Shepstone, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Port Shepstone. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $132 – making Port Shepstone 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 Shepstone: 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 $1,356 in Port Shepstone. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Shepstone, 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 $904 in Port Shepstone. 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 $203 in Port Shepstone. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Shepstone, where all-in costs run around $904, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Port Shepstone 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 Shepstone – 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 Shepstone. 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.