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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,144 in Portsmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,863 in Portsmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,583 in Portsmouth, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 13% more than Portsmouth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Portsmouth are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Portsmouth 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.51 EC$14.88

112.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$54.4 EC$147

-23.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.76 EC$18.26

57.40%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.55 EC$6.89

38.04%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$2.21 EC$5.97

-31.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.90 EC$5.12

-48.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.66 EC$7.19

10.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.73 EC$10.07

19.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$2.84 EC$7.67

-51.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$2.17 EC$5.86

-12.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$2.07 EC$5.59

-20.77%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$6.56 EC$17.72

-61.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$2.63 EC$7.10

217.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.44 EC$14.69

53.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$7.58 EC$20.46

-65.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.56 EC$6.92

-42.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$4.17 EC$11.26

-54.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$4.12 EC$11.12

-49.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.93 EC$7.91

-39.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.80 EC$7.55

-21.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.88 EC$5.07

-44.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.90 EC$5.12

-43.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$11.12 EC$30.01

-7.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.82 EC$4.93

-6.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.57 EC$6.95

0.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.77 EC$2.09

-33.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$3.80 EC$10.25

-14.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$3.61 EC$9.75

-31.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

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

$22.22 MX$385

$40.26 EC$109

-44.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$65.4 EC$176

-55.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$37.58 EC$101

37.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$11.13 EC$30.06

-54.45%

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

$201 MX$3,480

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$55.9 EC$151

-33.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$23.61 EC$63.8

68.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$55.9 EC$151

40.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$66.7 EC$180

30.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$478 EC$1,292

103.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$449 EC$1,213

4.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,006 EC$2,717

63.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$841 EC$2,272

45.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$621 EC$1,675

6.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Portsmouth: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $478 in Portsmouth. 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 7% 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 $54.0 in Portsmouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $291 – 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 Portsmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,716 in Portsmouth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Portsmouth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $54.0 in Portsmouth. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Portsmouth, where all-in costs run around $1,144, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Portsmouth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Portsmouth – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Portsmouth. 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.