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 $978 per month in Port Mathurin vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,582 per month in Port Mathurin vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,185 per month in Port Mathurin vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Port Mathurin is about 22% 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

$6.62 MUR 310

$11.72 MX$203

-43.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.14 MUR 2,018

$41.89 MX$726

2.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.71 MUR 314

$10.51 MX$182

-36.16%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MUR 121

$3.59 MX$62.1

-28.13%

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

$0.97 MUR 45.60

$1.51 MX$26.13

-35.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MUR 26.58

$0.92 MX$15.86

-38.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 MUR 101

$2.96 MX$51.2

-27.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 MUR 126

$4.41 MX$76.4

-38.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MUR 68.0

$1.40 MX$24.19

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 31.08

$1.88 MX$32.65

-64.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MUR 61.7

$1.56 MX$27.01

-15.38%

Eggs

$2.26 MUR 106

$2.61 MX$45.20

-13.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.83 MUR 460

$8.32 MX$144

18.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 MUR 291

$8.35 MX$145

-25.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 MUR 485

$10.86 MX$188

-4.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 MUR 92.9

$2.71 MX$47.00

-26.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 MUR 92.2

$1.51 MX$26.08

30.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 MUR 67.7

$1.87 MX$32.46

-22.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 MUR 123

$2.19 MX$37.94

20.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MUR 45.84

$1.86 MX$32.18

-47.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 MUR 43.91

$2.23 MX$38.64

-57.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 MUR 36.96

$1.07 MX$18.51

-26.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MUR 24.59

$1.09 MX$18.82

-51.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.16 MUR 288

$4.19 MX$72.5

47.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 MUR 360

$10.43 MX$181

-26.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MUR 81.2

$1.66 MX$28.72

4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 MUR 98.8

$2.61 MX$45.26

-19.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 MUR 49.00

$0.54 MX$9.39

94.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 MUR 212

$3.08 MX$53.3

47.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 MUR 127

$2.40 MX$41.66

13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.61 MUR 730

$3.13 MX$54.2

398.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MUR 65.1

$1.31 MX$22.72

6.11%

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

$35.9K MUR 1.7M

$29.8K MX$516.4K

20.52%

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

$28.7K MUR 1.3M

$23.3K MX$404.1K

23.05%

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

$50.3 MUR 2,353

$81.3 MX$1,408

-38.12%

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

$18.52 MUR 866

$22.56 MX$391

-17.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.28 MUR 1,510

$30.05 MX$521

7.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.60 MUR 1,806

$52.9 MX$917

-27.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 MUR 277

$4.92 MX$85.2

20.53%

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

$156 MUR 7,293

$201 MX$3,479

-22.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,926 MUR 183.7K

$5,175 MX$89.7K

-24.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 MUR 2,404

$35.92 MX$622

43.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.24 MUR 2,069

$40.13 MX$695

10.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 MUR 3,934

$79.7 MX$1,381

5.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 MUR 3,652

$86.5 MX$1,498

-9.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 MUR 23.8K

$978 MX$16.9K

-48.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 MUR 16.8K

$470 MX$8,152

-23.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 MUR 43.6K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-43.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MUR 33.2K

$1,203 MX$20.9K

-41.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Port Mathurin versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Port Mathurin vs $252 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 $1,467 per month in Port Mathurin 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 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 $978 in Port Mathurin and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $156 per month in Port Mathurin and $201 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 $978, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.