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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $924 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,398 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,872 in Port Shepstone, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 38% 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 5% lower, Port Shepstone 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$7.60 R 123

56.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$28.53 R 461

50.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.95 R 80.0

115.15%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.00 R 32.32

72.50%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.88 R 14.24

70.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.71 R 11.55

33.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.02 R 32.63

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.27 R 36.64

103.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.81 R 13.04

70.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.60 R 9.73

208.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.15 R 18.59

40.00%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.36 R 22.06

90.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.83 R 110

20.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.29 R 53.2

154.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$6.17 R 99.7

72.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.13 R 18.31

132.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.65 R 10.53

129.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.59 R 9.50

225.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.31 R 21.16

59.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.54 R 8.79

244.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.17 R 18.91

93.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.82 R 13.28

29.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.58 R 9.42

87.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.13 R 50.6

32.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$4.78 R 77.4

117.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.41 R 22.82

21.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.75 R 28.24

49.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.67 R 27.03

-67.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.71 R 27.60

83.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.62 R 10.06

304.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.89 R 111

-54.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.31 R 21.20

-3.05%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$20.3K R 327.7K

49.84%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$23.9K R 386.0K

-1.31%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$112 R 1,809

-25.81%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$17.10 R 277

32.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$33.29 R 538

-11.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$29.00 R 469

75.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.78 R 110

-27.29%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$207 R 3,353

-4.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,648 R 75.2K

13.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$42.32 R 684

-12.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$29.97 R 485

33.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$95.9 R 1,550

-16.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$72.1 R 1,166

24.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$371 R 5,991

158.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$337 R 5,447

41.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$678 R 11.0K

142.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$705 R 11.4K

73.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$888 R 14.4K

341.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$795 R 12.9K

712.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$3,015 R 48.7K

-77.88%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Port Shepstone: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $371 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 352% 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 $29.00 in Port Shepstone. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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 38%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,386 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $924 in Port Shepstone. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $207 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 $924, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.