😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,112 in Portmore, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,853 in Portmore, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,594 in Portmore, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Portmore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Portmore are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Portmore17% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Portmore
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$4.82JMD 757
147.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$62.9JMD 9,885
-32.08%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$8.78JMD 1,380
20.62%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$4.23JMD 665
-14.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$0.69JMD 108
113.04%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.50JMD 78.8
88.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$1.85JMD 291
67.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$2.23JMD 350
100.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Portmore
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$3.05JMD 479
-53.11%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$3.63JMD 571
-48.21%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$0.99JMD 155
64.65%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$3.53JMD 554
-25.21%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$11.18JMD 1,757
-26.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$6.44JMD 1,011
28.73%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$7.50JMD 1,178
48.00%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$5.99JMD 941
-55.76%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$3.11JMD 488
-51.77%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$2.95JMD 464
-32.54%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$3.06JMD 481
-32.03%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$2.01JMD 315
-10.95%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.99JMD 313
9.55%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$1.59JMD 250
-32.08%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$1.28JMD 201
-18.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$8.71JMD 1,368
-54.42%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$11.49JMD 1,804
-11.23%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$2.84JMD 446
-39.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$2.26JMD 354
10.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Portmore
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$1.60JMD 252
-67.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$62.9JMD 9,884
-57.14%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$0.91JMD 143
245.05%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$3.25JMD 510
-26.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$6.29JMD 988
-50.87%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.08JMD 170
17.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$42.7KJMD 6.7M
-27.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$33.8KJMD 5.3M
-30.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Portmore
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$156JMD 24.5K
-47.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$22.40JMD 3,518
0.22%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$51.8JMD 8,129
-42.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Portmore
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$13.17JMD 2,068
-62.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Portmore
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$224JMD 35.2K
-11.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$2,479JMD 389.4K
112.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Portmore
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$25.93JMD 4,073
40.15%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$25.32JMD 3,977
58.18%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$69.7JMD 11.0K
14.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$74.9JMD 11.8K
18.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Portmore
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$314JMD 49.4K
206.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$215JMD 33.8K
115.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$646JMD 101.5K
147.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$598JMD 93.8K
102.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$7,724JMD 1.2M
-48.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$5,745JMD 902.3K
12.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Portmore
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$1,267JMD 199.0K
-43.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
9.15
24.81%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Portmore: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $314 in Portmore. 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 76% higher in Portmore, 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 $63.0 in Portmore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $322 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Portmore: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Portmore cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,668 in Portmore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Portmore, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Portmore?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,112 in Portmore. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 133% less in Portmore. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Portmore?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Portmore, where all-in costs run around $1,112, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Portmore it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Portmore more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Portmore – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Portmore. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado