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 $1,593 per month in Port of Spain vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,747 per month in Port of Spain vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,901 per month in Port of Spain vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Port of Spain costs about 27% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Port of Spain sits 19% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.50 TTD 70.8

$11.99 MX$210

-12.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.6 TTD 604

$41.78 MX$733

114.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 TTD 49.00

$10.75 MX$189

-32.37%

Cappuccino

$3.73 TTD 25.16

$3.50 MX$61.3

6.57%

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

$1.10 TTD 7.42

$1.45 MX$25.41

-24.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.15

$0.88 MX$15.52

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TTD 12.83

$2.95 MX$51.7

-35.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 TTD 20.38

$4.51 MX$79.1

-33.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 TTD 18.28

$1.43 MX$25.12

89.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 TTD 19.02

$1.84 MX$32.23

53.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 TTD 17.61

$1.57 MX$27.51

66.24%

Eggs

$5.14 TTD 34.65

$2.51 MX$44.06

104.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 TTD 52.4

$8.28 MX$145

-6.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.60 TTD 71.5

$8.43 MX$148

25.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.37 TTD 96.9

$10.68 MX$187

34.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 TTD 39.05

$2.61 MX$45.76

121.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 TTD 17.09

$1.44 MX$25.22

76.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 TTD 28.60

$1.96 MX$34.41

116.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 TTD 32.83

$2.09 MX$36.74

133.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 TTD 9.97

$1.85 MX$32.47

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.29

$2.17 MX$38.02

-23.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 TTD 13.06

$1.03 MX$18.09

88.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 TTD 9.55

$1.07 MX$18.84

32.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 TTD 40.85

$4.10 MX$72.0

47.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.02 TTD 128

$10.17 MX$178

87.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 TTD 14.95

$1.68 MX$29.38

32.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 TTD 18.43

$2.53 MX$44.31

7.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 TTD 7.05

$0.51 MX$8.93

105.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.0 TTD 667

$26.04 MX$457

280.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 TTD 6.86

$3.23 MX$56.7

-68.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 TTD 8.66

$2.41 MX$42.19

-46.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.61 TTD 98.5

$3.23 MX$56.6

352.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 TTD 7.67

$1.32 MX$23.17

-13.64%

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

$34.4K TTD 231.8K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

15.79%

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

$38.3K TTD 257.8K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

61.65%

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

$79.6 TTD 537

$82.0 MX$1,439

-2.91%

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

$46.31 TTD 312

$22.95 MX$403

101.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 TTD 414

$30.11 MX$528

104.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 TTD 365

$52.0 MX$912

4.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.11 TTD 88.4

$18.53 MX$325

-29.25%

Cinema Ticket

$10.23 TTD 69.0

$4.98 MX$87.3

105.42%

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

$330 TTD 2,225

$197 MX$3,463

67.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,163 TTD 48.3K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

34.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 TTD 405

$35.60 MX$624

68.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.87 TTD 262

$40.33 MX$707

-3.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 TTD 967

$78.8 MX$1,381

82.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 TTD 861

$88.9 MX$1,560

43.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 TTD 5,155

$947 MX$16.6K

-19.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 TTD 3,254

$474 MX$8,314

1.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 TTD 12.3K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

10.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 TTD 8,664

$1,211 MX$21.2K

6.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,344 TTD 29.3K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

7.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,726 TTD 11.6K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-73.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$770 TTD 5,188

$654 MX$11.5K

17.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

11.42

-52.89%

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

Last update for Port of Spain: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $765 in Port of Spain versus $947 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 18% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 vs $249 – 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 27%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,390 per month in Port of Spain and $1,884 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 $1,593 in Port of Spain and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 280% 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 $1,256, than in Port of Spain at $1,593. 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.