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 $669 per month in Porlamar vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $936 per month in Porlamar vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,204 per month in Porlamar vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Porlamar is about 47% 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 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.50 VES 2,635

$11.87 MX$204

-62.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 VES 29.7K

$42.90 MX$736

18.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 VES 4,740

$10.65 MX$183

-24.04%

Cappuccino

$1.54 VES 900

$3.45 MX$59.2

-55.36%

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

$1.69 VES 989

$1.50 MX$25.81

12.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 VES 438

$0.95 MX$16.28

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 VES 779

$3.03 MX$51.9

-56.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 VES 1,345

$4.61 MX$79.1

-50.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 VES 983

$1.38 MX$23.61

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 VES 894

$1.85 MX$31.70

-17.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 VES 661

$1.61 MX$27.65

-29.81%

Eggs

$1.95 VES 1,145

$2.59 MX$44.51

-24.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 VES 3,555

$8.26 MX$142

-26.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 VES 3,920

$8.37 MX$144

-20.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.53 VES 4,411

$10.66 MX$183

-29.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 VES 2,474

$2.63 MX$45.12

60.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 VES 1,003

$1.49 MX$25.53

14.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 VES 895

$1.92 MX$32.94

-20.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 VES 1,014

$2.09 MX$35.81

-17.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 VES 974

$1.86 MX$31.88

-10.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 VES 889

$2.26 MX$38.81

-32.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 VES 1,068

$1.06 MX$18.23

71.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 VES 574

$1.09 MX$18.67

-10.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 VES 1,721

$4.15 MX$71.2

-29.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 VES 3,773

$10.39 MX$178

-38.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 VES 465

$1.72 MX$29.59

-54.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 VES 964

$2.61 MX$44.85

-37.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 VES 288

$0.54 MX$9.30

-9.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 VES 2,942

$3.13 MX$53.7

60.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 VES 1,798

$2.51 MX$43.09

22.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 VES 304

$1.27 MX$21.88

-59.06%

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

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

$29.43 VES 17.2K

$83.0 MX$1,425

-64.54%

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

$9.86 VES 5,775

$22.71 MX$390

-56.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.40 VES 20.2K

$29.46 MX$506

16.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 VES 29.1K

$51.0 MX$875

-2.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.07 VES 5,898

$18.33 MX$315

-45.06%

Cinema Ticket

$2.99 VES 1,749

$4.93 MX$84.5

-39.35%

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 VES 116.1K

$956 MX$16.4K

-79.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 VES 119.1K

$477 MX$8,189

-57.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$401 VES 234.7K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-89.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$150 VES 87.7K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-97.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$212 VES 124.4K

$667 MX$11.4K

-68.16%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Porlamar versus $956 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 214% 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 $51.0 in Porlamar versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Porlamar vs $250 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 90%, 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 $1,003 per month in Porlamar and $1,906 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 18% 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 $51.0 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 $669, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.