Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Portimao Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Portimao

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,469 in Portimao, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,213 in Portimao, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,957 in Portimao, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 14% cheaper than Portimao, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Portimao is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$11.59 €10.16

3.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$730

$51.2 €44.84

-18.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$181

$10.26 €9.00

1.56%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.2

$2.41 €2.11

45.64%

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

$1.52 MX$26.39

$1.75 €1.53

-13.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.85

$1.70 €1.49

-46.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.9

$2.44 €2.14

24.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.1

$3.12 €2.74

40.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.73

$1.11 €0.97

27.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.87

$1.59 €1.40

15.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.45

$1.76 €1.55

-7.39%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.20

$3.19 €2.80

-20.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$11.81 €10.36

-27.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$7.39 €6.48

14.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$11.51 €10.09

-6.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$2.33 €2.04

18.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.00

$1.32 €1.16

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.84

$1.41 €1.24

34.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.77

$2.28 €1.99

-4.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.97

$2.21 €1.94

-19.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.71

$2.36 €2.07

-5.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.60

$1.67 €1.47

-35.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.79

$0.74 €0.65

45.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.2

$6.03 €5.28

-31.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$5.74 €5.04

82.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.34

$1.08 €0.95

61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.93

$2.55 €2.23

1.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.94

$1.87 €1.64

-72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

$14.02 €12.30

85.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$55.9

$3.56 €3.12

-9.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.55

$0.80 €0.70

212.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.4

$17.08 €14.97

-81.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.87

$1.89 €1.66

-33.33%

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

$29.7K MX$516.7K

$34.8K €30.5K

-14.59%

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

$23.7K MX$412.2K

$39.3K €34.5K

-39.80%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$114 €99.6

-27.77%

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

$22.73 MX$396

$26.92 €23.61

-15.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$512

$49.11 €43.06

-40.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$908

$49.78 €43.65

4.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

$19.68 €17.25

-6.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.9

$8.05 €7.06

-38.76%

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

$202 MX$3,512

$630 €553

-67.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$90.8K

$4,702 €4,123

10.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$625

$54.2 €47.52

-33.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$23.74 €20.81

69.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$47.87 €41.97

66.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,554

$68.8 €60.4

29.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$942 €826

0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,098

$699 €613

-33.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$1,432 €1,255

13.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$1,175 €1,030

1.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.5K

$4,254 €3,730

-7.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$111.9K

$3,329 €2,919

93.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$1,017 €892

-35.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.86

134.98%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Portimao: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $942 in Portimao. 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 54% higher in Portimao, 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 $51.0 in Portimao. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $239 in Portimao – so Portimao wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Portimao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Portimao is pricier by about 17%, 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 $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,203 in Portimao. 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 $1,259 in Playa del Carmen and $1,469 in Portimao. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 85% 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 $1,259, than in Portimao at $1,469. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Portimao 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, Portimao makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.