Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Punto Fijo Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Punto Fijo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $651 in Punto Fijo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,086 in Punto Fijo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,521 in Punto Fijo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 99% more than Punto Fijo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Punto Fijo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Punto Fijo 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.12 VES 3,412

91.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$24.55 VES 13.7K

69.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.72 VES 4,861

22.02%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.50 VES 835

134.67%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.08 VES 603

39.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.56 VES 312

73.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.33 VES 739

121.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.67 VES 1,486

66.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.70 VES 947

-18.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.50 VES 837

26.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.08 VES 600

51.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.80 VES 1,560

-10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.17 VES 2,326

100.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.78 VES 3,223

44.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$5.68 VES 3,167

88.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$5.10 VES 2,844

-49.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.79 VES 438

84.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.77 VES 430

146.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.97 VES 543

114.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.98 VES 547

81.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.98 VES 545

123.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.78 VES 433

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.11 VES 618

-2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.95 VES 2,201

3.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.23 VES 685

39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.43 VES 1,355

6.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.02 VES 570

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$60.0 VES 33.4K

-55.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$6.39 VES 3,561

-48.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$3.48 VES 1,940

-28.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.52 VES 292

151.92%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$30.5K VES 17.0M

-0.62%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$24.5K VES 13.7M

-4.56%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$22.36 VES 12.5K

270.62%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$32.19 VES 17.9K

-8.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$20.82 VES 11.6K

147.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.89 VES 2,725

274.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.65 VES 4,260

-33.73%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$50.3 VES 28.0K

299.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$44.17 VES 24.6K

-16.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$34.49 VES 19.2K

15.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$78.4 VES 43.7K

0.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$99.6 VES 55.5K

-12.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$100 VES 55.8K

871.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$81.3 VES 45.3K

475.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$350 VES 195.0K

368.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$224 VES 124.7K

445.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$204 VES 113.5K

225.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-52.42%

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 Punto Fijo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $100 in Punto Fijo. 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 226% 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 $25.00 in Punto Fijo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $177 – making Punto Fijo 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 Punto Fijo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 99%, 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 $977 in Punto Fijo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Punto Fijo, 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 $651 in Punto Fijo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 127% less in Punto Fijo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Punto Fijo, where all-in costs run around $651, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Punto Fijo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Punto Fijo – 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 Punto Fijo. 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.