Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Porto Seguro Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Porto Seguro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $787 in Porto Seguro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,240 in Porto Seguro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,694 in Porto Seguro, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 65% more than Porto Seguro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Porto Seguro are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Porto Seguro 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$6.24 R$32.16

87.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$15.59 R$80.3

166.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$6.64 R$34.20

60.24%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.5

$1.41 R$7.24

149.65%

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

$1.08 R$5.54

39.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$0.61 R$3.16

59.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$1.59 R$8.20

85.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$2.94 R$15.13

51.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$1.28 R$6.61

7.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.04

$1.52 R$7.84

24.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$1.18 R$6.09

38.98%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$1.93 R$9.97

30.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$8.01 R$41.24

4.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$3.75 R$19.30

122.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$7.34 R$37.79

46.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.48

$2.07 R$10.68

25.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$1.27 R$6.52

14.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$1.19 R$6.12

59.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$1.52 R$7.84

36.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$1.15 R$5.92

54.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$1.09 R$5.62

100.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$0.69 R$3.56

50.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$1.47 R$7.59

-26.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$2.18 R$11.22

87.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$5.86 R$30.18

76.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$1.21 R$6.23

41.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.98

$2.06 R$10.62

25.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.92 R$4.75

-44.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

$38.32 R$197

-30.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$1.09 R$5.63

199.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.51

$0.71 R$3.64

250.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$6.24 R$32.12

-47.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$1.23 R$6.35

6.50%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$21.1K R$108.6K

43.63%

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$27.6K R$142.2K

-15.15%

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$61.7 R$318

34.40%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$13.72 R$70.7

61.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$16.45 R$84.7

78.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$22.23 R$115

132.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$21.81 R$112

-16.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$6.21 R$31.98

-18.36%

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

$201 MX$3,507

$276 R$1,420

-27.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$6,587 R$33.9K

-20.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$48.17 R$248

-23.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$42.76 R$220

-6.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$75.3 R$388

4.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$64.0 R$329

36.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$321 R$1,655

202.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,169

$217 R$1,120

115.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$522 R$2,691

214.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$425 R$2,190

187.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$1,568 R$8,077

151.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$1,173 R$6,043

453.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

$325 R$1,676

104.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.92

4.58%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Porto Seguro: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $321 in Porto Seguro. 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 104% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $16.00 in Porto Seguro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $184 – making Porto Seguro 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 Porto Seguro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 65%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,180 in Porto Seguro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Porto Seguro, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $787 in Porto Seguro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Porto Seguro. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Porto Seguro, where all-in costs run around $787, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Porto Seguro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Porto Seguro – 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 Porto Seguro. 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.