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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,613 per month in Port of Spain vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,727 per month in Port of Spain vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,841 per month in Port of Spain vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Port of Spain costs about 25% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Port of Spain sits 17% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.54 TTD 70.1

$11.71 MX$198

-9.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.5 TTD 602

$46.59 MX$788

94.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 TTD 58.2

$11.65 MX$197

-24.89%

Cappuccino

$3.80 TTD 25.29

$4.09 MX$69.2

-7.09%

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

$1.05 TTD 6.99

$1.37 MX$23.23

-23.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.71

$0.83 MX$14.09

-14.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 TTD 15.15

$3.35 MX$56.7

-31.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 TTD 24.51

$6.91 MX$117

-46.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 TTD 16.27

$1.73 MX$29.20

41.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 TTD 16.72

$2.26 MX$38.21

11.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 TTD 19.15

$1.77 MX$29.91

62.71%

Eggs

$4.53 TTD 30.15

$2.73 MX$46.19

65.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 TTD 45.56

$9.18 MX$155

-25.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 TTD 67.4

$8.92 MX$151

13.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 TTD 78.7

$12.60 MX$213

-6.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.61 TTD 37.33

$3.02 MX$51.1

85.76%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 TTD 20.11

$1.57 MX$26.55

92.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 TTD 25.24

$2.13 MX$35.93

77.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 TTD 28.41

$2.26 MX$38.28

88.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 TTD 14.31

$2.00 MX$33.88

7.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 TTD 12.94

$2.06 MX$34.90

-5.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 TTD 12.27

$1.18 MX$19.94

55.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 TTD 9.42

$1.20 MX$20.35

18.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 TTD 40.30

$4.63 MX$78.4

30.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.94 TTD 126

$10.69 MX$181

77.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 TTD 14.90

$1.62 MX$27.38

38.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 TTD 19.79

$2.88 MX$48.70

3.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 TTD 7.77

$0.57 MX$9.69

105.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$136 TTD 902

$29.83 MX$504

354.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 TTD 6.82

$5.45 MX$92.1

-81.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.23

$3.70 MX$62.6

-66.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.97 TTD 99.6

$5.98 MX$101

150.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 TTD 7.79

$1.55 MX$26.26

-24.52%

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

$37.4K TTD 248.8K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

67.48%

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

$41.7K TTD 277.6K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

60.73%

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

$91.5 TTD 609

$89.1 MX$1,507

2.68%

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

$52.4 TTD 349

$25.04 MX$423

109.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 TTD 382

$31.50 MX$532

82.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 TTD 380

$67.8 MX$1,146

-15.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.12 TTD 87.3

$28.92 MX$489

-54.63%

Cinema Ticket

$8.72 TTD 58.0

$5.05 MX$85.4

72.67%

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

$399 TTD 2,655

$225 MX$3,803

77.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K TTD 73.8K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

162.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 TTD 364

$47.44 MX$802

15.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 TTD 352

$44.98 MX$760

17.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 TTD 981

$82.0 MX$1,386

79.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 TTD 685

$92.1 MX$1,557

11.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 TTD 6,841

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-3.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$518 TTD 3,449

$405 MX$6,852

27.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,187 TTD 14.6K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

12.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 TTD 7,949

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-8.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,371 TTD 29.1K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

9.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,974 TTD 13.1K

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-70.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$776 TTD 5,165

$749 MX$12.7K

3.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

11.45

-49.78%

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

Last update for Port of Spain: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Port of Spain versus $1,069 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 4% higher in Port of Spain, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Port of Spain versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $277 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 of Spain vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Port of Spain is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,420 per month in Port of Spain and $1,940 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,613 in Port of Spain and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 355% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Port of Spain at $1,613. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port of Spain it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port of Spain makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.