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 $673 per month in Porlamar vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $932 per month in Porlamar vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,192 per month in Porlamar vs $2,990 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 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 VES 3,356

$11.72 MX$204

-61.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 VES 37.3K

$41.89 MX$731

19.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.90 VES 5,864

$10.51 MX$183

-24.83%

Cappuccino

$1.53 VES 1,133

$3.59 MX$62.5

-57.38%

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

$1.69 VES 1,254

$1.51 MX$26.31

11.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 VES 552

$0.92 MX$15.96

-19.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 VES 1,031

$2.96 MX$51.6

-53.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 VES 1,657

$4.41 MX$76.9

-49.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 VES 1,261

$1.40 MX$24.35

21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 VES 1,093

$1.88 MX$32.87

-21.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 VES 839

$1.56 MX$27.19

-27.56%

Eggs

$1.96 VES 1,452

$2.61 MX$45.50

-24.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.90 VES 4,380

$8.32 MX$145

-29.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 VES 4,915

$8.35 MX$146

-20.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.38 VES 5,478

$10.86 MX$189

-32.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 VES 3,141

$2.71 MX$47.31

56.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 VES 1,312

$1.51 MX$26.25

17.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 VES 1,099

$1.87 MX$32.67

-20.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 VES 1,266

$2.19 MX$38.19

-21.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 VES 1,240

$1.86 MX$32.40

-10.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 VES 1,122

$2.23 MX$38.90

-32.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 VES 1,360

$1.07 MX$18.63

71.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 VES 727

$1.09 MX$18.94

-10.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 VES 2,246

$4.19 MX$73.0

-27.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 VES 4,772

$10.43 MX$182

-38.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 VES 576

$1.66 MX$28.91

-53.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 VES 1,164

$2.61 MX$45.56

-39.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 VES 336

$0.54 MX$9.45

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 VES 3,809

$3.08 MX$53.7

66.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.95 VES 2,191

$2.40 MX$41.94

22.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 VES 353

$1.31 MX$22.87

-63.36%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

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

$29.82 VES 22.1K

$81.3 MX$1,418

-63.31%

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

$10.12 VES 7,514

$22.56 MX$393

-55.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.59 VES 26.4K

$30.05 MX$524

18.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.4 VES 37.4K

$52.9 MX$923

-4.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.98 VES 7,406

$18.39 MX$321

-45.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.07 VES 2,278

$4.92 MX$85.8

-37.60%

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

$201 MX$3,502

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 VES 147.8K

$978 MX$17.1K

-79.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 VES 150.0K

$470 MX$8,206

-57.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$392 VES 291.2K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-90.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$151 VES 112.2K

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-97.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$212 VES 157.5K

$677 MX$11.8K

-68.65%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $199 in Porlamar versus $978 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 219% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Porlamar vs $252 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 87%, 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 $1,009 per month in Porlamar and $1,890 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 20% 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 $42.00 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 $673, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.