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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,243 in Portmore, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,094 in Portmore, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,944 in Portmore, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more than Portmore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Portmore are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Portmore 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$10.22 JMD 1,602

13.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$62.2 JMD 9,744

-24.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$8.98 JMD 1,408

32.29%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$5.19 JMD 814

-23.31%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.92 JMD 144

55.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.65 JMD 102

26.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$2.17 JMD 341

47.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.18 JMD 341

211.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$3.10 JMD 486

-45.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$3.55 JMD 556

-38.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.00 JMD 156

71.00%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$3.48 JMD 545

-21.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$11.36 JMD 1,780

-15.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.46 JMD 1,012

39.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$9.35 JMD 1,465

37.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$6.05 JMD 948

-52.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$3.94 JMD 618

-61.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$2.93 JMD 460

-26.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$3.00 JMD 470

-24.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$3.18 JMD 498

-37.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$2.60 JMD 407

-23.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$1.57 JMD 247

-21.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$1.24 JMD 195

-3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$9.26 JMD 1,451

-50.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$11.47 JMD 1,797

-9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$2.93 JMD 459

-44.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$2.16 JMD 338

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$2.35 JMD 368

-74.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$51.3 JMD 8,042

-43.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$0.99 JMD 156

444.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$3.23 JMD 506

15.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$6.21 JMD 973

-7.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.27 JMD 199

21.26%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$44.9K JMD 7.0M

-49.83%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$33.4K JMD 5.2M

-22.07%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$161 JMD 25.3K

-43.34%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$29.50 JMD 4,623

-14.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$53.6 JMD 8,401

-41.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$59.6 JMD 9,343

12.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$13.54 JMD 2,122

-64.11%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$284 JMD 44.6K

-21.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$3,108 JMD 487.1K

36.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$23.31 JMD 3,654

102.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$32.31 JMD 5,064

37.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$77.9 JMD 12.2K

2.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$94.4 JMD 14.8K

-1.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$313 JMD 49.1K

239.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$219 JMD 34.3K

78.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$659 JMD 103.2K

226.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$607 JMD 95.1K

109.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$7,565 JMD 1.2M

-47.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$5,760 JMD 902.8K

12.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$1,294 JMD 202.8K

-41.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

9.45

21.16%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Portmore: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $313 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 71% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $62.0 in Portmore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $337 – 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 2%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,864 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,243 in Portmore. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 78% 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 $1,243, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.