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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,983 in Port Vila, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,058 in Port Vila, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,134 in Port Vila, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 57% cheaper than Port Vila, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Port Vila is 123% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$11.14 VUV 1,281

5.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$64.5 VUV 7,420

-35.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$9.83 VUV 1,130

8.24%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$5.25 VUV 603

-32.95%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$2.15 VUV 247

-29.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.74 VUV 200

-44.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$4.42 VUV 508

-33.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$4.23 VUV 486

5.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$2.23 VUV 257

-38.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$2.50 VUV 288

-24.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$3.93 VUV 452

-58.27%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$5.18 VUV 596

-51.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$20.04 VUV 2,304

-58.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$18.57 VUV 2,136

-55.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$18.19 VUV 2,092

-41.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$4.66 VUV 536

-44.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.05 VUV 236

-28.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$6.03 VUV 694

-68.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.47 VUV 284

-15.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$4.40 VUV 506

-59.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.18 VUV 251

0.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.57 VUV 296

-59.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.06 VUV 121

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$9.46 VUV 1,088

-56.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$12.44 VUV 1,431

-17.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.95 VUV 340

-42.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.94 VUV 338

-12.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.72 VUV 198

-70.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$68.0 VUV 7,820

-61.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.14 VUV 246

52.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.82 VUV 94.8

203.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$5.10 VUV 587

-36.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.89 VUV 217

-30.69%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$23.1K VUV 2.7M

31.08%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$38.6K VUV 4.4M

-39.23%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$531 VUV 61.1K

-84.39%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$25.37 VUV 2,918

-12.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$227 VUV 26.2K

-87.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$16.92 VUV 1,947

8.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$12.71 VUV 1,462

-60.11%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$624 VUV 71.8K

-67.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$6,796 VUV 781.6K

-23.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$45.92 VUV 5,282

-19.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$68.2 VUV 7,844

-41.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$1,882 VUV 216.4K

-48.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$1,392 VUV 160.1K

-66.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$3,353 VUV 385.6K

-51.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$2,083 VUV 239.6K

-41.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$6,040 VUV 694.8K

-34.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,291 VUV 263.5K

183.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$696 VUV 80.1K

-4.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

63.14%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Port Vila: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,882 in Port Vila. 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 5% higher in Port Vila, 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 $65.0 in Port Vila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $449 – 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 Vila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Port Vila is pricier by about 130%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,474 in Port Vila. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $2,983 in Port Vila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 157% 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 $1,297, than in Port Vila at $2,983. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Vila 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port Vila makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.