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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,070 per month in Port Louis vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,680 per month in Port Louis vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,290 per month in Port Louis vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Port Louis is about 17% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Port Louis and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Port Louis 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 MUR 306

$11.94 MX$208

-45.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.85 MUR 2,097

$42.75 MX$744

4.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 MUR 329

$10.59 MX$184

-33.52%

Cappuccino

$2.59 MUR 121

$3.62 MX$63.0

-28.45%

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

$1.02 MUR 47.79

$1.47 MX$25.54

-30.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 MUR 25.80

$0.94 MX$16.41

-41.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 MUR 101

$3.09 MX$53.8

-29.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 MUR 153

$4.46 MX$77.6

-26.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MUR 78.7

$1.43 MX$24.80

17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 30.88

$1.88 MX$32.79

-64.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 MUR 59.4

$1.63 MX$28.34

-22.09%

Eggs

$2.23 MUR 104

$2.64 MX$45.99

-15.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 MUR 562

$8.21 MX$143

46.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 MUR 293

$8.29 MX$144

-24.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 MUR 595

$11.10 MX$193

14.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 MUR 93.6

$2.65 MX$46.14

-24.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 MUR 93.3

$1.50 MX$26.11

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 MUR 67.3

$1.99 MX$34.59

-27.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 MUR 123

$2.08 MX$36.13

26.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MUR 46.38

$1.79 MX$31.11

-44.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MUR 46.15

$2.18 MX$37.87

-54.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 MUR 40.12

$1.08 MX$18.73

-20.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 MUR 35.90

$1.04 MX$18.04

-25.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 MUR 306

$3.97 MX$69.1

64.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 MUR 397

$10.20 MX$178

-16.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 MUR 83.0

$1.73 MX$30.04

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 MUR 104

$2.50 MX$43.46

-10.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 MUR 47.61

$0.52 MX$9.02

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.48 MUR 1,051

$26.97 MX$469

-16.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.37 MUR 204

$3.14 MX$54.7

39.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.74 MUR 128

$2.40 MX$41.80

14.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.17 MUR 943

$3.09 MX$53.7

552.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 MUR 65.3

$1.27 MX$22.16

10.24%

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

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

14.31%

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

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

22.38%

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

$48.88 MUR 2,285

$82.0 MX$1,427

-40.40%

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

$18.03 MUR 843

$22.45 MX$391

-19.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.09 MUR 1,547

$29.66 MX$516

11.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.89 MUR 1,117

$51.9 MX$903

-53.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.00 MUR 187

$18.67 MX$325

-78.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 MUR 275

$4.97 MX$86.5

18.31%

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

$156 MUR 7,294

$198 MX$3,442

-21.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,900 MUR 182.3K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-26.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 MUR 3,973

$36.34 MX$632

133.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.9 MUR 3,689

$40.05 MX$697

97.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 MUR 6,250

$79.9 MX$1,390

67.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.2 MUR 4,357

$88.9 MX$1,547

4.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$465 MUR 21.7K

$963 MX$16.8K

-51.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 MUR 16.7K

$465 MX$8,086

-23.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 MUR 36.6K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-50.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 MUR 29.3K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-48.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 MUR 194.6K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

5.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,086 MUR 50.8K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-83.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$648 MUR 30.3K

$720 MX$12.5K

-10.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.42

-41.59%

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

Last update for Port Louis: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $465 in Port Louis 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.

Salaries run about 11% 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 $45.00 in Port Louis versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Port Louis vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Port Louis 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 20%, 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 $1,605 per month in Port Louis 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 Port Louis, 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 $1,070 in Port Louis 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 20% less in Port Louis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Louis, where all-in costs run around $1,070, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Port Louis 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 Louis – 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 Port Louis. 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.