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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,086 in Portmore, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,829 in Portmore, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,572 in Portmore, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% more than Portmore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Portmore are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Portmore 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.79 JMD 754

147.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$62.6 JMD 9,843

-31.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.99 JMD 1,413

18.46%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.39 JMD 691

-21.41%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.63 JMD 99.8

138.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.55 JMD 85.8

72.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.93 JMD 303

56.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.21 JMD 348

108.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$3.06 JMD 481

-54.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$3.60 JMD 566

-48.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.01 JMD 159

59.41%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.50 JMD 550

-26.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$11.11 JMD 1,748

-25.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.26 JMD 984

33.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.48 JMD 1,177

42.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$5.86 JMD 922

-55.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$3.01 JMD 473

-50.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.93 JMD 461

-34.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.96 JMD 466

-29.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.04 JMD 321

-8.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.94 JMD 305

16.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.59 JMD 250

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.24 JMD 195

-12.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$8.96 JMD 1,409

-53.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$11.53 JMD 1,814

-9.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.84 JMD 447

-39.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.13 JMD 334

22.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.52 JMD 240

-64.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$63.3 JMD 9,958

-57.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.92 JMD 145

240.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$3.19 JMD 502

-21.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.31 JMD 993

-50.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.08 JMD 171

17.59%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

-28.69%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$33.1K JMD 5.2M

-28.78%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$155 JMD 24.4K

-46.48%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$21.91 JMD 3,446

3.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$50.2 JMD 7,897

-41.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$13.38 JMD 2,104

-63.15%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$226 JMD 35.5K

-12.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,515 JMD 395.6K

109.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$26.22 JMD 4,123

40.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$26.01 JMD 4,090

53.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

10.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$75.9 JMD 11.9K

17.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$317 JMD 49.9K

201.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$218 JMD 34.3K

118.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$663 JMD 104.2K

148.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$597 JMD 93.9K

105.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$7,779 JMD 1.2M

-49.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$5,891 JMD 926.4K

9.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,294 JMD 203.5K

-48.46%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Portmore: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $317 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $63.0 in Portmore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $318 – 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 17%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,629 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,086 in Portmore. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 135% 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 $1,086, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.