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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,879 in Willemstad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,927 in Willemstad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,975 in Willemstad, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Willemstad is 40% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$17.97 ANG 32.16

-33.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$69.7 ANG 125

-38.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.26 ANG 14.79

28.21%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.53 ANG 6.31

2.55%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.88 ANG 5.16

-48.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.43 ANG 2.56

-34.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$5.55 ANG 9.93

-44.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.70 ANG 8.41

-5.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.70 ANG 3.04

-15.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.36 ANG 4.23

-20.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.76 ANG 4.94

-40.94%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.74 ANG 6.70

-29.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$9.50 ANG 17.01

-13.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$7.73 ANG 13.84

7.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$9.83 ANG 17.59

12.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$5.00 ANG 8.95

-47.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$3.32 ANG 5.94

-54.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.03 ANG 5.43

-34.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$4.42 ANG 7.90

-52.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.95 ANG 5.29

-39.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.83 ANG 5.06

-22.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$2.22 ANG 3.97

-51.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$2.09 ANG 3.74

-50.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$8.46 ANG 15.14

-53.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$14.24 ANG 25.49

-28.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.60 ANG 4.65

-33.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.28 ANG 5.86

-23.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.75 ANG 3.14

-70.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$24.84 ANG 44.46

-87.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.68 ANG 4.80

-10.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$49.82 ANG 89.2

-93.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.27 ANG 2.28

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$19.2K ANG 34.4K

21.27%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$244 ANG 436

-66.34%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$84.5 ANG 151

-73.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$63.7 ANG 114

-53.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$54.2 ANG 97.0

-4.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$63.0 ANG 113

-70.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$9.77 ANG 17.48

-49.13%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$226 ANG 405

-12.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$9,503 ANG 17.0K

-44.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$87.3 ANG 156

-58.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$92.4 ANG 165

-56.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$144 ANG 258

-44.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$108 ANG 193

-17.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$744 ANG 1,331

29.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$546 ANG 977

-14.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,771 ANG 3,169

-9.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,179 ANG 2,110

2.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$841 ANG 1,506

368.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$165 ANG 296

3797.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$1,269 ANG 2,272

-43.23%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Willemstad: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $744 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 76% 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 $70.0 in Willemstad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $339 – 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 46%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,819 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,879 in Willemstad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 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 $1,287, than in Willemstad at $1,879. 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.