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 $966 per month in Port Mathurin vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,587 per month in Port Mathurin vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,209 per month in Port Mathurin vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Port Mathurin is about 25% 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 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.50 MUR 304

$11.94 MX$209

-45.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.18 MUR 2,067

$42.75 MX$748

3.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.50 MUR 304

$10.59 MX$185

-38.62%

Cappuccino

$2.57 MUR 120

$3.62 MX$63.4

-29.01%

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

$1.03 MUR 48.13

$1.47 MX$25.69

-29.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MUR 26.55

$0.94 MX$16.51

-39.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 MUR 97.3

$3.09 MX$54.1

-32.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 MUR 130

$4.46 MX$78.0

-37.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MUR 67.6

$1.43 MX$24.94

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MUR 32.75

$1.88 MX$32.97

-62.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MUR 61.3

$1.63 MX$28.50

-19.63%

Eggs

$2.35 MUR 110

$2.64 MX$46.26

-10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 MUR 454

$8.21 MX$144

18.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 MUR 297

$8.29 MX$145

-23.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.46 MUR 490

$11.10 MX$194

-5.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 MUR 93.9

$2.65 MX$46.40

-24.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 MUR 92.6

$1.50 MX$26.26

32.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 MUR 70.4

$1.99 MX$34.79

-24.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 MUR 122

$2.08 MX$36.33

25.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MUR 46.05

$1.79 MX$31.29

-45.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MUR 46.13

$2.18 MX$38.09

-54.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 MUR 39.47

$1.08 MX$18.84

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MUR 25.10

$1.04 MX$18.15

-48.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.93 MUR 277

$3.97 MX$69.5

49.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.32 MUR 436

$10.20 MX$179

-8.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 MUR 83.2

$1.73 MX$30.22

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 MUR 102

$2.50 MX$43.71

-12.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 MUR 47.15

$0.52 MX$9.07

94.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 MUR 206

$3.14 MX$55.0

40.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 MUR 122

$2.40 MX$42.04

8.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.20 MUR 711

$3.09 MX$54.0

391.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MUR 68.4

$1.27 MX$22.28

14.96%

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

$35.6K MUR 1.7M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

15.41%

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

$29.3K MUR 1.4M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

25.86%

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

$49.07 MUR 2,296

$82.0 MX$1,435

-40.17%

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

$18.38 MUR 860

$22.45 MX$393

-18.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.01 MUR 1,498

$29.66 MX$519

7.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.21 MUR 1,788

$51.9 MX$908

-26.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 MUR 282

$4.97 MX$87.0

21.33%

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

$151 MUR 7,079

$198 MX$3,462

-23.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,007 MUR 187.5K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-24.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.99 MUR 2,339

$36.34 MX$636

37.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 MUR 2,079

$40.05 MX$701

10.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 MUR 3,788

$79.9 MX$1,398

1.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.8 MUR 3,642

$88.9 MX$1,555

-12.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MUR 24.0K

$963 MX$16.9K

-46.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 MUR 16.1K

$465 MX$8,133

-25.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 MUR 45.2K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-39.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 MUR 33.9K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-40.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $512 in Port Mathurin 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Port Mathurin versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $216 in Port Mathurin vs $251 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 33%, 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 $1,449 per month in Port Mathurin 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 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 $966 in Port Mathurin and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $151 per month in Port Mathurin and $198 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 $966, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.