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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,102 in Portmore, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,849 in Portmore, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,595 in Portmore, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 14% more than Portmore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Portmore are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Portmore 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.80 JMD 755

144.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$726

$62.4 JMD 9,810

-32.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.68 JMD 1,365

21.08%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.1

$4.41 JMD 693

-18.59%

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

$1.51 MX$26.13

$0.63 JMD 98.7

139.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.86

$0.50 JMD 78.9

84.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.84 JMD 289

60.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.4

$2.25 JMD 354

96.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.19

$3.10 JMD 487

-54.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.65

$3.55 JMD 558

-47.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.01

$1.02 JMD 160

52.94%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.20

$3.58 JMD 563

-27.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.86 JMD 1,707

-23.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.19 JMD 973

34.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.48 JMD 1,175

45.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.00

$5.91 JMD 929

-54.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.08

$2.99 JMD 470

-49.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.46

$2.88 JMD 453

-35.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.94

$3.04 JMD 478

-27.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.18

$2.10 JMD 330

-11.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.64

$1.92 JMD 302

16.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.51

$1.52 JMD 239

-29.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.82

$1.27 JMD 200

-14.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.5

$8.66 JMD 1,361

-51.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

$11.16 JMD 1,754

-6.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.72

$2.80 JMD 440

-40.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.26

$2.13 JMD 335

22.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

$1.59 JMD 250

-66.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$63.4 JMD 9,968

-58.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.93 JMD 146

231.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.66

$3.22 JMD 507

-25.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

$6.43 JMD 1,011

-51.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$1.09 JMD 171

20.18%

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

$29.8K MX$516.4K

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

-29.64%

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

$23.3K MX$404.1K

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

-30.56%

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

$81.3 MX$1,408

$156 JMD 24.6K

-48.05%

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

$22.56 MX$391

$21.70 JMD 3,411

3.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$521

$51.4 JMD 8,082

-41.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.2

$13.24 JMD 2,081

-62.84%

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

$201 MX$3,479

$227 JMD 35.6K

-11.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.7K

$2,450 JMD 385.1K

111.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$25.67 JMD 4,035

39.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$695

$26.00 JMD 4,087

54.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,381

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

11.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$77.3 JMD 12.2K

11.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$310 JMD 48.8K

215.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,152

$223 JMD 35.0K

111.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$661 JMD 103.9K

149.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

$583 JMD 91.7K

106.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

$7,530 JMD 1.2M

-47.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

$5,860 JMD 921.2K

12.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$1,312 JMD 206.3K

-48.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.15

24.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Portmore: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $310 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 94% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $62.0 in Portmore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $317 – 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 Portmore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,653 in Portmore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,102 in Portmore. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 142% less in Portmore. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Portmore, where all-in costs run around $1,102, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Portmore it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.