Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Douglas and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Douglas and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,206 per month in Port Douglas vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,301 per month in Port Douglas vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,397 per month in Port Douglas vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Port Douglas costs about 71% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Port Douglas sits 65% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 A$16.42

$11.94 MX$208

-1.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.2 A$111

$42.75 MX$744

87.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 A$15.05

$10.59 MX$184

2.27%

Cappuccino

$3.92 A$5.44

$3.62 MX$63.0

8.29%

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

$2.74 A$3.81

$1.47 MX$25.54

86.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 A$3.13

$0.94 MX$16.41

139.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.55 A$9.11

$3.09 MX$53.8

111.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 A$9.92

$4.46 MX$77.6

59.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 A$2.32

$1.43 MX$24.80

16.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 A$3.51

$1.88 MX$32.79

34.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 A$3.83

$1.63 MX$28.34

69.33%

Eggs

$4.03 A$5.60

$2.64 MX$45.99

52.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 A$11.34

$8.21 MX$143

-0.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 A$12.80

$8.29 MX$144

11.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.57 A$17.47

$11.10 MX$193

13.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 A$4.24

$2.65 MX$46.14

15.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 A$3.18

$1.50 MX$26.11

52.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.72

$1.99 MX$34.59

34.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.39 A$10.27

$2.08 MX$36.13

255.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.17

$1.79 MX$31.11

27.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 A$3.24

$2.18 MX$37.87

6.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 A$3.27

$1.08 MX$18.73

118.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 A$4.19

$1.04 MX$18.04

189.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.75 A$41.36

$3.97 MX$69.1

649.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 A$16.03

$10.20 MX$178

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 A$4.53

$1.73 MX$30.04

88.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 A$4.89

$2.50 MX$43.46

40.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 A$3.53

$0.52 MX$9.02

388.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 A$89.7

$26.97 MX$469

139.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 A$9.01

$3.14 MX$54.7

106.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 A$2.24

$2.40 MX$41.80

-32.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.41 A$46.44

$3.09 MX$53.7

981.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 A$1.53

$1.27 MX$22.16

-13.39%

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

$22.9K A$31.9K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-25.70%

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

$19.1K A$26.6K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-17.87%

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

$150 A$208

$82.0 MX$1,427

82.87%

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

$36.20 A$50.3

$22.45 MX$391

61.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 A$83.9

$29.66 MX$516

103.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 A$67.8

$51.9 MX$903

-5.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 A$22.05

$18.67 MX$325

-15.05%

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 A$17.82

$4.97 MX$86.5

157.95%

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

$1,645 A$2,287

$198 MX$3,442

731.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K A$16.9K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

130.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 A$119

$36.34 MX$632

135.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.27 A$65.7

$40.05 MX$697

18.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 A$138

$79.9 MX$1,390

23.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 A$189

$88.9 MX$1,547

53.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 A$1,726

$963 MX$16.8K

28.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 A$1,502

$465 MX$8,086

132.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 A$2,827

$1,596 MX$27.8K

27.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 A$2,365

$1,209 MX$21.0K

40.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,929 A$8,242

$3,942 MX$68.6K

50.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,667 A$7,877

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-12.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.96

11.42

-39.05%

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

Last update for Port Douglas: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,242 in Port Douglas 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Port Douglas versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $251 – 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

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

Yes – Port Douglas is pricier by about 71%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,309 per month in Port Douglas 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 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 $2,206 in Port Douglas and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 139% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Port Douglas at $2,206. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Douglas 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, Port Douglas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.