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 $710 per month in Porlamar vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,135 per month in Porlamar vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,560 per month in Porlamar vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Porlamar is about 46% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Porlamar and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Porlamar 48% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.61 VES 3,828

$11.96 MX$203

-61.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 VES 34.8K

$47.38 MX$804

-11.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 VES 7,622

$11.75 MX$199

-21.87%

Cappuccino

$1.85 VES 1,536

$4.12 MX$70.0

-55.10%

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

$2.04 VES 1,690

$1.40 MX$23.74

45.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 VES 1,070

$0.91 MX$15.48

41.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 VES 818

$3.21 MX$54.4

-69.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 VES 1,890

$7.07 MX$120

-67.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 VES 1,394

$1.68 MX$28.44

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 VES 1,233

$2.15 MX$36.48

-31.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 VES 972

$1.77 MX$30.10

-33.90%

Eggs

$2.03 VES 1,684

$2.82 MX$47.76

-28.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.84 VES 4,847

$9.20 MX$156

-36.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 VES 5,467

$9.23 MX$157

-28.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.42 VES 6,162

$12.64 MX$214

-41.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 VES 3,456

$2.95 MX$50.1

41.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 VES 1,474

$1.58 MX$26.79

12.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 VES 1,230

$2.22 MX$37.70

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 VES 1,420

$2.36 MX$40.09

-27.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 VES 1,390

$1.99 MX$33.81

-16.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 VES 1,299

$1.98 MX$33.58

-21.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 VES 1,533

$1.24 MX$21.04

49.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 VES 812

$1.21 MX$20.55

-19.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 VES 2,550

$4.60 MX$78.1

-33.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.41 VES 5,326

$10.52 MX$178

-39.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 VES 619

$1.69 MX$28.70

-55.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 VES 1,342

$2.77 MX$47.06

-41.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 VES 361

$0.60 MX$10.22

-28.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.04 VES 12.5K

$29.70 MX$504

-49.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 VES 4,218

$5.24 MX$88.8

-3.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 VES 1,220

$3.65 MX$61.9

-59.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 VES 431

$1.54 MX$26.09

-66.23%

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

$20.1K VES 16.7M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-11.75%

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

$35.0K VES 29.0M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

35.51%

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

$21.03 VES 17.5K

$90.7 MX$1,538

-76.81%

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

$7.66 VES 6,359

$25.19 MX$427

-69.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.81 VES 26.4K

$31.75 MX$539

0.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.22 VES 33.4K

$68.8 MX$1,167

-41.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.47 VES 10.4K

$29.37 MX$498

-57.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.46 VES 2,871

$4.86 MX$82.5

-28.81%

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

$29.61 VES 24.6K

$226 MX$3,828

-86.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.05 VES 25.0K

$47.38 MX$804

-36.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.67 VES 37.1K

$43.45 MX$737

2.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.9 VES 48.9K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-26.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.5 VES 62.7K

$91.4 MX$1,550

-17.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 VES 163.8K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-81.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 VES 126.3K

$409 MX$6,933

-62.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 VES 277.1K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-83.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 VES 164.0K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-84.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$404 VES 335.7K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-90.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$148 VES 123.3K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-97.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$215 VES 178.8K

$773 MX$13.1K

-72.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

74.67%

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

Last update for Porlamar: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $197 in Porlamar versus $1,086 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 259% 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 Porlamar versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $278 – making Porlamar 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 84%, 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 $1,066 per month in Porlamar and $1,958 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $710 in Porlamar and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 97% less in Porlamar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Porlamar, where all-in costs run around $710, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.