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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $992 in Punto Fijo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,696 in Punto Fijo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,400 in Punto Fijo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 32% more than Punto Fijo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Punto Fijo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Punto Fijo 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$14.72 VES 12.2K

-18.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$80.3 VES 66.7K

-41.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.1

$2.31 VES 1,915

78.35%

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

$1.40 MX$23.78

$1.46 VES 1,213

-4.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$0.73 VES 606

24.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$1.94 VES 1,614

65.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$5.58 VES 4,637

26.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.49

$2.57 VES 2,138

-34.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$2.47 VES 2,049

-12.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$3.42 VES 2,837

-48.25%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.83

$6.34 VES 5,261

-55.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$6.12 VES 5,079

50.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.04 VES 4,185

83.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$4.91 VES 4,073

157.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$7.88 VES 6,547

-62.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.83

$4.90 VES 4,072

-67.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$5.06 VES 4,205

-56.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.15

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.86

$5.95 VES 4,942

-66.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.63

$4.97 VES 4,129

-60.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$3.06 VES 2,544

-59.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$1.49 VES 1,235

-18.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$3.94 VES 3,272

16.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$1.99 VES 1,649

-15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$4.90 VES 4,071

-43.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

$1.24 VES 1,027

-51.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$6.85 VES 5,684

-46.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$0.49 VES 404

214.29%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$49.51 VES 41.1K

83.13%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$9.96 VES 8,273

152.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$38.03 VES 31.6K

-16.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

$39.89 VES 33.1K

72.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

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

$226 MX$3,834

$200 VES 166.0K

12.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

$3,591 VES 3.0M

16.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$34.76 VES 28.9K

130.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$405 VES 336.4K

167.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

$294 VES 244.5K

38.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$794 VES 659.3K

148.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

$612 VES 508.0K

109.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$203 VES 168.8K

280.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Punto Fijo: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $405 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 280% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $80.0 in Punto Fijo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $314 – 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 Punto Fijo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,488 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $992 in Punto Fijo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $200 in Punto Fijo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Punto Fijo, where all-in costs run around $992, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.