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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $658 in Punto Fijo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,118 in Punto Fijo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,579 in Punto Fijo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 91% 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 6% lower, Punto Fijo 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.93 VES 4,361

102.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$25.01 VES 18.4K

67.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.71 VES 6,401

23.42%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.57 VES 1,157

122.93%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.13 VES 829

28.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.60 VES 444

46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.38 VES 1,017

113.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.68 VES 1,971

68.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.69 VES 1,242

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.56 VES 1,150

17.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.08 VES 793

45.37%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.67 VES 1,962

-5.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$4.13 VES 3,038

100.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.63 VES 4,138

49.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$5.75 VES 4,225

85.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$5.13 VES 3,769

-49.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.74 VES 542

94.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.76 VES 561

157.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.98 VES 724

113.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.01 VES 745

83.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.02 VES 750

112.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.77 VES 565

33.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.14 VES 842

-6.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.03 VES 2,962

1.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.28 VES 944

31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.45 VES 1,799

3.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.98 VES 722

-47.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$59.8 VES 44.0K

-56.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$6.35 VES 4,666

-49.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$3.60 VES 2,647

-33.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.52 VES 382

153.85%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$30.3K VES 22.3M

-2.08%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$25.3K VES 18.6M

-6.65%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$21.96 VES 16.1K

273.45%

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

$22.95 MX$400

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$31.90 VES 23.5K

-5.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$20.58 VES 15.1K

152.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$5.14 VES 3,779

260.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.55 VES 5,551

-34.04%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$50.5 VES 37.1K

291.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$45.48 VES 33.4K

-21.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$34.97 VES 25.7K

15.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$80.9 VES 59.5K

-2.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$99.7 VES 73.3K

-10.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$101 VES 74.4K

835.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$78.6 VES 57.8K

502.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$347 VES 255.3K

373.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$221 VES 162.6K

447.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$201 VES 148.0K

224.67%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Punto Fijo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $101 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 225% 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 91%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $987 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $658 in Punto Fijo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 130% 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 $658, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.