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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,236 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,900 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,563 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Port Elizabeth is about 4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Port Elizabeth and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Port Elizabeth 10% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.37 R 183

$11.71 MX$199

-2.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 R 709

$46.59 MX$791

-5.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 R 98.3

$11.65 MX$198

-47.47%

Cappuccino

$2.13 R 34.16

$4.09 MX$69.5

-47.92%

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

$1.10 R 17.69

$1.37 MX$23.34

-19.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 R 12.91

$0.83 MX$14.16

-3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 R 45.69

$3.35 MX$56.9

-15.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 R 51.9

$6.91 MX$117

-53.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 R 19.56

$1.73 MX$29.33

-29.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 17.47

$2.26 MX$38.39

-51.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.00

$1.77 MX$30.05

-15.82%

Eggs

$2.81 R 45.09

$2.73 MX$46.41

2.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 R 146

$9.18 MX$156

-1.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 R 89.4

$8.92 MX$151

-37.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.62 R 138

$12.60 MX$214

-31.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 R 34.44

$3.02 MX$51.3

-29.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.62

$1.57 MX$26.68

1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 R 26.95

$2.13 MX$36.10

-21.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.44

$2.26 MX$38.46

-21.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.50

$2.00 MX$34.04

-11.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 R 22.80

$2.06 MX$35.06

-31.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 R 21.32

$1.18 MX$20.04

12.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 R 16.77

$1.20 MX$20.45

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 R 54.1

$4.63 MX$78.7

-27.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 R 77.5

$10.69 MX$182

-54.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R 21.03

$1.62 MX$27.50

-19.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 R 29.05

$2.88 MX$48.93

-37.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 R 18.99

$0.57 MX$9.74

107.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.87 R 592

$29.83 MX$507

23.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 R 34.93

$5.45 MX$92.5

-60.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 R 7.81

$3.70 MX$62.9

-86.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 R 138

$5.98 MX$102

43.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 R 22.68

$1.55 MX$26.38

-9.03%

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

$36.5K R 586.0K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

63.39%

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

$34.5K R 553.8K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

32.86%

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

$125 R 2,013

$89.1 MX$1,514

40.57%

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

$35.65 R 573

$25.04 MX$425

42.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.87 R 753

$31.50 MX$535

48.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.16 R 517

$67.8 MX$1,151

-52.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.02 R 386

$28.92 MX$491

-16.94%

Cinema Ticket

$10.92 R 175

$5.05 MX$85.8

116.24%

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

$185 R 2,974

$225 MX$3,820

-17.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,340 R 101.8K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

50.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 R 1,158

$47.44 MX$806

51.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 R 614

$44.98 MX$764

-15.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 R 1,841

$82.0 MX$1,392

39.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 R 1,604

$92.1 MX$1,564

8.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 R 10.2K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-40.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 R 6,896

$405 MX$6,884

5.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 R 13.6K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-56.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 R 11.3K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-45.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$799 R 12.8K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-80.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 R 8,755

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-91.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,641 R 26.4K

$749 MX$12.7K

119.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.94

11.45

4.28%

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

Last update for Port Elizabeth: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $633 in Port Elizabeth versus $1,069 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 119% higher in Port Elizabeth, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Port Elizabeth versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $277 – making Port Elizabeth 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 Elizabeth vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,854 per month in Port Elizabeth and $1,940 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 Port Elizabeth, 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 $1,236 in Port Elizabeth and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Port Elizabeth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Elizabeth, where all-in costs run around $1,236, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Port Elizabeth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Port Elizabeth – 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 Port Elizabeth. 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.