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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $668 per month in Porlamar vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $935 per month in Porlamar vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,201 per month in Porlamar vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Porlamar is about 48% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Porlamar and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Porlamar 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.54 VES 2,210

$11.94 MX$208

-61.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.78 VES 24.2K

$42.75 MX$744

16.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 VES 3,808

$10.59 MX$184

-26.06%

Cappuccino

$1.54 VES 747

$3.62 MX$63.0

-57.46%

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

$1.63 VES 794

$1.47 MX$25.54

10.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 VES 382

$0.94 MX$16.41

-15.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 VES 646

$3.09 MX$53.8

-56.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 VES 1,099

$4.46 MX$77.6

-49.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 VES 808

$1.43 MX$24.80

16.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 VES 740

$1.88 MX$32.79

-19.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 VES 545

$1.63 MX$28.34

-31.29%

Eggs

$2.03 VES 985

$2.64 MX$45.99

-23.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 VES 2,987

$8.21 MX$143

-25.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 VES 3,092

$8.29 MX$144

-23.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 VES 3,694

$11.10 MX$193

-31.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 VES 2,017

$2.65 MX$46.14

56.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 VES 876

$1.50 MX$26.11

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 VES 717

$1.99 MX$34.59

-26.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 VES 871

$2.08 MX$36.13

-13.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 VES 824

$1.79 MX$31.11

-5.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 VES 740

$2.18 MX$37.87

-30.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 VES 863

$1.08 MX$18.73

63.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 VES 476

$1.04 MX$18.04

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 VES 1,430

$3.97 MX$69.1

-25.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.59 VES 3,206

$10.20 MX$178

-35.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 VES 377

$1.73 MX$30.04

-55.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 VES 770

$2.50 MX$43.46

-36.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 VES 236

$0.52 MX$9.02

-5.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 VES 2,445

$3.14 MX$54.7

60.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.94 VES 1,429

$2.40 MX$41.80

22.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 VES 250

$1.27 MX$22.16

-59.06%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$29.69 VES 14.4K

$82.0 MX$1,427

-63.80%

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

$9.93 VES 4,827

$22.45 MX$391

-55.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.06 VES 17.0K

$29.66 MX$516

18.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 VES 24.5K

$51.9 MX$903

-2.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.08 VES 4,899

$18.67 MX$325

-46.01%

Cinema Ticket

$2.94 VES 1,428

$4.97 MX$86.5

-40.85%

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 VES 96.3K

$963 MX$16.8K

-79.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 VES 98.1K

$465 MX$8,086

-56.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$399 VES 193.8K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-89.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$152 VES 73.7K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-97.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$217 VES 105.6K

$720 MX$12.5K

-69.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Porlamar: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Porlamar versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. 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 232% 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 $50.0 in Porlamar versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $211 in Porlamar vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Porlamar wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Porlamar vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 93%, 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 $1,002 per month in Porlamar and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Porlamar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Porlamar and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Porlamar, where all-in costs run around $668, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Porlamar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Porlamar – 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 Porlamar. 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.