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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,162 in Port Vila, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,309 in Port Vila, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,456 in Port Vila, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 59% cheaper than Port Vila, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Port Vila is 130% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$12.55 VUV 1,446

-6.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$57.5 VUV 6,626

-18.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$14.58 VUV 1,681

-20.10%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$4.14 VUV 477

-1.21%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$2.27 VUV 261

-39.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$2.45 VUV 282

-66.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$4.97 VUV 573

-32.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$7.03 VUV 810

-1.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$2.74 VUV 316

-36.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.89 VUV 217

19.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$3.66 VUV 422

-51.64%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$6.35 VUV 731

-57.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$17.86 VUV 2,058

-48.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$16.17 VUV 1,864

-44.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$13.93 VUV 1,605

-9.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$6.96 VUV 802

-56.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.14 VUV 246

-26.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$3.95 VUV 456

-46.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$9.34 VUV 1,076

-75.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$8.81 VUV 1,015

-77.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$3.50 VUV 403

-41.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$2.48 VUV 285

-52.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.21 VUV 140

-0.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$9.19 VUV 1,059

-49.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$12.65 VUV 1,458

-15.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$2.43 VUV 279

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$2.75 VUV 316

4.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.26 VUV 145

-54.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$68.3 VUV 7,872

-56.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$2.56 VUV 294

112.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.80 VUV 92.1

362.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$5.19 VUV 598

15.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.74 VUV 201

-10.92%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$23.1K VUV 2.7M

-3.35%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$38.5K VUV 4.4M

-32.61%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$635 VUV 73.1K

-85.95%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$22.76 VUV 2,623

10.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$366 VUV 42.2K

-91.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$67.6 VUV 7,787

0.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$16.59 VUV 1,912

74.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

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

$225 MX$3,803

$630 VUV 72.6K

-64.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$6,806 VUV 784.3K

-37.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$42.39 VUV 4,886

11.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$68.3 VUV 7,876

-34.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$82.8 VUV 9,544

-1.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$103 VUV 11.9K

-10.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,556 VUV 179.3K

-31.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$1,147 VUV 132.2K

-64.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$3,423 VUV 394.5K

-43.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,899 VUV 218.8K

-31.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$6,073 VUV 699.8K

-34.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$2,260 VUV 260.4K

193.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$700 VUV 80.7K

6.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.18

85.28%

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 Vila: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,556 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 7% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $57.0 in Port Vila. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $473 – 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 144%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,742 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $3,162 in Port Vila. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 129% 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 Vila at $3,162. 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.