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 $1,080 per month in Port Louis vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,699 per month in Port Louis vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,319 per month in Port Louis vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Port Louis is about 15% 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 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 MUR 308

$11.87 MX$204

-44.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.69 MUR 2,057

$42.90 MX$736

1.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 MUR 329

$10.65 MX$183

-34.46%

Cappuccino

$2.56 MUR 121

$3.45 MX$59.2

-25.80%

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

$1.02 MUR 48.19

$1.50 MX$25.81

-32.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 28.37

$0.95 MX$16.28

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 MUR 107

$3.03 MX$51.9

-25.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 MUR 157

$4.61 MX$79.1

-27.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 MUR 79.5

$1.38 MX$23.61

22.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 MUR 31.37

$1.85 MX$31.70

-63.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MUR 62.4

$1.61 MX$27.65

-18.01%

Eggs

$2.33 MUR 110

$2.59 MX$44.51

-10.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.10 MUR 570

$8.26 MX$142

46.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.13 MUR 289

$8.37 MX$144

-26.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.72 MUR 599

$10.66 MX$183

19.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 MUR 93.1

$2.63 MX$45.12

-24.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 MUR 92.4

$1.49 MX$25.53

31.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 MUR 70.3

$1.92 MX$32.94

-22.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 MUR 129

$2.09 MX$35.81

31.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 48.27

$1.86 MX$31.88

-45.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 MUR 44.46

$2.26 MX$38.81

-58.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 MUR 38.06

$1.06 MX$18.23

-23.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 MUR 35.75

$1.09 MX$18.67

-30.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.41 MUR 302

$4.15 MX$71.2

54.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.58 MUR 404

$10.39 MX$178

-17.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MUR 81.7

$1.72 MX$29.59

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 MUR 106

$2.61 MX$44.85

-13.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 MUR 49.57

$0.54 MX$9.30

94.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.34 MUR 1,052

$26.94 MX$462

-17.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.28 MUR 202

$3.13 MX$53.7

36.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 MUR 123

$2.51 MX$43.09

3.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.86 MUR 935

$3.15 MX$54.1

530.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MUR 69.3

$1.27 MX$21.88

15.75%

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

$36.3K MUR 1.7M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

19.51%

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

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

20.91%

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

$48.79 MUR 2,297

$83.0 MX$1,425

-41.22%

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

$18.23 MUR 858

$22.71 MX$390

-19.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.17 MUR 1,562

$29.46 MX$506

12.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.97 MUR 1,129

$51.0 MX$875

-53.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.01 MUR 189

$18.33 MX$315

-78.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 MUR 284

$4.93 MX$84.5

22.31%

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

$157 MUR 7,384

$197 MX$3,386

-20.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,956 MUR 186.3K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-25.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.7 MUR 4,033

$36.90 MX$633

132.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.2 MUR 3,729

$39.89 MX$685

98.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 MUR 6,213

$80.0 MX$1,373

64.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 MUR 4,371

$89.5 MX$1,536

3.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$472 MUR 22.2K

$956 MX$16.4K

-50.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 MUR 16.6K

$477 MX$8,189

-26.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$777 MUR 36.6K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-52.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 MUR 29.7K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-48.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,057 MUR 191.1K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

3.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,045 MUR 49.2K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-83.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$671 MUR 31.6K

$667 MX$11.4K

0.65%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $472 in Port Louis versus $956 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 1% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Port Louis vs $250 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 18%, 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 $1,619 per month in Port Louis and $1,906 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 $1,080 in Port Louis and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 21% 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 $1,080, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.