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 $1,055 per month in Port Louis vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,665 per month in Port Louis vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,275 per month in Port Louis vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Port Louis is about 16% 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 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 MUR 307

$11.72 MX$203

-44.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.75 MUR 2,049

$41.89 MX$725

4.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 MUR 332

$10.51 MX$182

-32.54%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MUR 121

$3.59 MX$62.0

-28.13%

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

$1.00 MUR 47.02

$1.51 MX$26.10

-33.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 28.22

$0.92 MX$15.83

-34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 MUR 104

$2.96 MX$51.2

-25.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 MUR 153

$4.41 MX$76.3

-26.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MUR 77.0

$1.40 MX$24.16

17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 MUR 30.47

$1.88 MX$32.60

-65.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MUR 62.2

$1.56 MX$26.97

-14.74%

Eggs

$2.34 MUR 110

$2.61 MX$45.14

-10.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.79 MUR 552

$8.32 MX$144

41.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 MUR 298

$8.35 MX$145

-23.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.63 MUR 592

$10.86 MX$188

16.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 MUR 96.6

$2.71 MX$46.93

-23.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 MUR 92.3

$1.51 MX$26.04

30.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 MUR 69.4

$1.87 MX$32.41

-20.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 MUR 129

$2.19 MX$37.89

25.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MUR 46.60

$1.86 MX$32.14

-46.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MUR 46.89

$2.23 MX$38.59

-55.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 MUR 40.18

$1.07 MX$18.48

-19.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 MUR 35.76

$1.09 MX$18.79

-30.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 MUR 310

$4.19 MX$72.4

58.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 MUR 400

$10.43 MX$180

-18.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MUR 81.6

$1.66 MX$28.68

4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 MUR 101

$2.61 MX$45.19

-17.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 MUR 49.88

$0.54 MX$9.37

96.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.36 MUR 1,047

$26.16 MX$453

-14.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 MUR 210

$3.08 MX$53.3

45.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 MUR 128

$2.40 MX$41.61

13.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.99 MUR 936

$3.13 MX$54.1

538.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MUR 67.8

$1.31 MX$22.69

10.69%

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

$35.2K MUR 1.6M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

18.03%

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

$29.4K MUR 1.4M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

25.91%

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

$48.69 MUR 2,281

$81.3 MX$1,406

-40.10%

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

$18.18 MUR 851

$22.56 MX$390

-19.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.15 MUR 1,553

$30.05 MX$520

10.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.81 MUR 1,115

$52.9 MX$915

-55.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.94 MUR 185

$18.39 MX$318

-78.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.97 MUR 280

$4.92 MX$85.1

21.34%

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

$157 MUR 7,334

$201 MX$3,474

-22.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MUR 183.9K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-24.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 MUR 3,983

$35.92 MX$622

136.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.7 MUR 3,688

$40.13 MX$694

96.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 MUR 6,276

$79.7 MX$1,379

68.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.3 MUR 4,464

$86.5 MX$1,496

10.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 MUR 22.3K

$978 MX$16.9K

-51.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 MUR 16.6K

$470 MX$8,140

-24.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 MUR 36.7K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-52.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 MUR 29.0K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-48.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MUR 189.5K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

2.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,051 MUR 49.2K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-84.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$695 MUR 32.5K

$677 MX$11.7K

2.66%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Port Louis 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 3% higher in Port Louis, 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 Louis versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Port Louis vs $252 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 19%, 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 $1,582 per month in Port Louis 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 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 $1,055 in Port Louis and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 17% 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 $1,055, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.