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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,063 in Willemstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,165 in Willemstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,267 in Willemstad, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 36% cheaper than Willemstad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Willemstad is 51% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$18.67 ANG 33.33

-30.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$82.6 ANG 148

-44.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$11.23 ANG 20.04

12.11%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$3.98 ANG 7.11

0.50%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$3.25 ANG 5.81

-56.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$1.90 ANG 3.39

-57.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$5.74 ANG 10.24

-46.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$5.23 ANG 9.34

30.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.94 ANG 3.47

-11.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$2.97 ANG 5.30

-25.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$3.49 ANG 6.23

-50.72%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$3.79 ANG 6.77

-28.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$16.90 ANG 30.16

-44.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$7.44 ANG 13.29

19.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$12.10 ANG 21.60

5.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$5.41 ANG 9.66

-42.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$3.03 ANG 5.41

-48.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$3.26 ANG 5.82

-34.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$3.82 ANG 6.82

-38.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$2.47 ANG 4.40

-18.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$2.03 ANG 3.63

-1.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$2.42 ANG 4.32

-48.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$2.89 ANG 5.16

-58.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$9.66 ANG 17.25

-51.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$12.34 ANG 22.03

-15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.83

$2.41 ANG 4.31

-34.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$2.38 ANG 4.25

22.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$1.93 ANG 3.44

-70.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$22.39 ANG 39.97

-76.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.28

$1.32 ANG 2.36

17.42%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

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

$25.6K MX$433.4K

$20.3K ANG 36.2K

25.94%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$273 ANG 487

-67.25%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$77.2 ANG 138

-69.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$65.5 ANG 117

-51.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$48.91 ANG 87.3

40.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$43.92 ANG 78.4

-33.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$12.18 ANG 21.74

-58.46%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$331 ANG 590

-32.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.8K

$12.4K ANG 22.2K

-65.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$102 ANG 182

-54.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$73.0 ANG 130

-39.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$160 ANG 285

-40.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$91.8 ANG 164

0.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$791 ANG 1,412

35.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,664

$683 ANG 1,219

-42.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$1,715 ANG 3,061

15.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$1,216 ANG 2,171

7.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$849 ANG 1,516

375.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$168 ANG 300

3838.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$1,251 ANG 2,232

-40.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

4.97

133.40%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Willemstad: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $791 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 67% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $83.0 in Willemstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $377 – 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 55%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,095 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $2,063 in Willemstad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Playa del Carmen and $331 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 $1,330, than in Willemstad at $2,063. 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.