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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $985 per month in Port Mathurin vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,595 per month in Port Mathurin vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,206 per month in Port Mathurin vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Port Mathurin is about 23% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Port Mathurin and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Port Mathurin 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.63 MUR 312

$11.87 MX$204

-44.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.65 MUR 2,056

$42.90 MX$736

1.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.49 MUR 305

$10.65 MX$183

-39.06%

Cappuccino

$2.69 MUR 127

$3.45 MX$59.2

-22.03%

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

$1.04 MUR 48.85

$1.50 MX$25.81

-30.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 28.40

$0.95 MX$16.28

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 MUR 101

$3.03 MX$51.9

-29.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 MUR 129

$4.61 MX$79.1

-40.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 MUR 69.2

$1.38 MX$23.61

6.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 31.31

$1.85 MX$31.70

-64.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MUR 61.7

$1.61 MX$27.65

-18.63%

Eggs

$2.27 MUR 107

$2.59 MX$44.51

-12.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 MUR 479

$8.26 MX$142

23.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 MUR 295

$8.37 MX$144

-25.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.48 MUR 493

$10.66 MX$183

-1.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 MUR 92.4

$2.63 MX$45.12

-25.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 MUR 90.6

$1.49 MX$25.53

28.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 MUR 68.6

$1.92 MX$32.94

-23.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 MUR 123

$2.09 MX$35.81

24.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MUR 45.77

$1.86 MX$31.88

-47.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 MUR 44.48

$2.26 MX$38.81

-58.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 MUR 39.61

$1.06 MX$18.23

-20.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MUR 24.65

$1.09 MX$18.67

-52.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 MUR 285

$4.15 MX$71.2

46.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.21 MUR 434

$10.39 MX$178

-11.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MUR 81.1

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 MUR 103

$2.61 MX$44.85

-15.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 MUR 48.61

$0.54 MX$9.30

90.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 MUR 205

$3.13 MX$53.7

39.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 MUR 122

$2.51 MX$43.09

3.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.33 MUR 722

$3.15 MX$54.1

386.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MUR 69.0

$1.27 MX$21.88

14.96%

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

$35.5K MUR 1.7M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

16.89%

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

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

22.43%

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

$49.77 MUR 2,343

$83.0 MX$1,425

-40.04%

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

$18.55 MUR 874

$22.71 MX$390

-18.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.56 MUR 1,533

$29.46 MX$506

10.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.57 MUR 1,769

$51.0 MX$875

-26.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 MUR 286

$4.93 MX$84.5

23.12%

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

$155 MUR 7,296

$197 MX$3,386

-21.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,898 MUR 183.6K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-26.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 MUR 2,367

$36.90 MX$633

36.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 MUR 2,067

$39.89 MX$685

10.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 MUR 3,909

$80.0 MX$1,373

3.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 MUR 3,726

$89.5 MX$1,536

-11.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 MUR 23.9K

$956 MX$16.4K

-46.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 MUR 16.6K

$477 MX$8,189

-26.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MUR 45.4K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-41.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$722 MUR 34.0K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-41.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

11.42

-45.27%

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

Last update for Port Mathurin: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $508 in Port Mathurin 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Port Mathurin versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $215 in Port Mathurin vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Port Mathurin 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 Mathurin vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 29%, 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 $1,477 per month in Port Mathurin 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 Mathurin, 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 $985 in Port Mathurin and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $155 per month in Port Mathurin and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Port Mathurin, where all-in costs run around $985, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Port Mathurin 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 Mathurin – 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 Mathurin. 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.