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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,881 in Willemstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,957 in Willemstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,033 in Willemstad, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 32% cheaper than Willemstad, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Willemstad is 40% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$17.90 ANG 31.94

-33.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$70.6 ANG 126

-39.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.46 ANG 15.09

25.89%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.46 ANG 6.17

-0.29%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.90 ANG 5.18

-48.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.42 ANG 2.53

-33.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$5.68 ANG 10.13

-46.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.63 ANG 8.26

-0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.78 ANG 3.17

-22.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.35 ANG 4.19

-21.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.77 ANG 4.95

-41.88%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.68 ANG 6.57

-29.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$9.34 ANG 16.67

-11.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$7.68 ANG 13.71

8.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$9.87 ANG 17.62

8.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$5.02 ANG 8.96

-47.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$3.23 ANG 5.76

-53.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.99 ANG 5.33

-35.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$4.35 ANG 7.77

-51.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$3.04 ANG 5.42

-38.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.88 ANG 5.14

-21.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.20 ANG 3.93

-51.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$2.00 ANG 3.58

-45.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$8.41 ANG 15.01

-50.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$14.08 ANG 25.13

-26.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.63 ANG 4.69

-34.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.32 ANG 5.93

-21.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.70 ANG 3.04

-68.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$25.28 ANG 45.12

-87.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$2.69 ANG 4.80

-6.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$49.76 ANG 88.8

-93.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.29 ANG 2.30

-1.55%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$19.3K ANG 34.4K

22.18%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$238 ANG 424

-65.05%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$83.2 ANG 148

-72.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$63.3 ANG 113

-53.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$54.5 ANG 97.4

-6.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$64.6 ANG 115

-71.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$9.48 ANG 16.92

-48.00%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$226 ANG 403

-12.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$9,417 ANG 16.8K

-43.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$87.7 ANG 157

-57.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$89.9 ANG 161

-55.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$145 ANG 258

-44.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$109 ANG 194

-17.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$747 ANG 1,333

28.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$548 ANG 978

-12.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,708 ANG 3,048

-3.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,157 ANG 2,066

5.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$831 ANG 1,483

371.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$168 ANG 300

3748.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,254 ANG 2,239

-46.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.97

129.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Willemstad: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $747 in Willemstad. 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 88% higher in Willemstad, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $71.0 in Willemstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $337 – 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 Willemstad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Willemstad is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,821 in Willemstad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,881 in Willemstad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $226 in Willemstad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,271, than in Willemstad at $1,881. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Willemstad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Willemstad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.