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 $1,573 per month in Port of Spain vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,743 per month in Port of Spain vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,913 per month in Port of Spain vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Port of Spain costs about 21% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Port of Spain sits 17% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.21 TTD 68.4

$11.73 MX$203

-12.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.4 TTD 599

$41.62 MX$720

114.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 TTD 48.97

$10.64 MX$184

-31.30%

Cappuccino

$3.66 TTD 24.54

$3.52 MX$60.9

3.98%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.01

$1.51 MX$26.12

-30.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TTD 5.50

$0.97 MX$16.84

-15.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.13

$2.95 MX$51.0

-38.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 TTD 20.46

$4.45 MX$77.0

-31.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.63 TTD 17.61

$1.38 MX$23.93

90.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 TTD 18.16

$1.89 MX$32.72

43.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 TTD 17.16

$1.64 MX$28.32

56.10%

Eggs

$5.03 TTD 33.73

$2.51 MX$43.34

100.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 TTD 53.5

$8.34 MX$144

-4.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.31 TTD 69.1

$8.34 MX$144

23.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.21 TTD 95.2

$10.73 MX$186

32.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.73 TTD 38.38

$2.60 MX$45.04

120.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 TTD 16.79

$1.46 MX$25.20

71.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 TTD 29.05

$1.90 MX$32.87

128.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 TTD 32.28

$2.08 MX$35.91

131.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 TTD 9.71

$1.78 MX$30.71

-18.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.18

$2.19 MX$37.80

-23.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 TTD 13.15

$1.04 MX$17.99

88.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 TTD 9.84

$1.08 MX$18.62

36.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 TTD 38.67

$4.08 MX$70.6

41.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.09 TTD 121

$10.32 MX$178

75.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 TTD 14.55

$1.71 MX$29.61

26.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 TTD 19.07

$2.58 MX$44.54

10.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 TTD 7.10

$0.51 MX$8.81

107.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.6 TTD 641

$26.46 MX$458

261.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.01

$3.26 MX$56.4

-67.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 TTD 8.56

$2.49 MX$43.09

-48.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.91 TTD 99.9

$3.25 MX$56.2

358.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 TTD 7.31

$1.31 MX$22.61

-16.79%

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

$34.1K TTD 228.1K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

12.46%

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

$38.0K TTD 254.6K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

62.22%

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

$80.6 TTD 540

$82.9 MX$1,433

-2.69%

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

$45.86 TTD 307

$22.22 MX$384

106.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 TTD 410

$29.34 MX$507

108.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 TTD 360

$51.6 MX$893

4.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 TTD 88.7

$18.32 MX$317

-27.73%

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 TTD 67.3

$5.07 MX$87.6

98.22%

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

$329 TTD 2,203

$201 MX$3,473

63.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,096 TTD 47.5K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

36.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 TTD 398

$36.92 MX$639

61.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 TTD 258

$39.79 MX$688

-3.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 967

$78.5 MX$1,357

84.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 TTD 849

$87.1 MX$1,506

45.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 TTD 5,086

$973 MX$16.8K

-21.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 TTD 3,208

$468 MX$8,090

2.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 TTD 12.3K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

12.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 TTD 8,526

$1,221 MX$21.1K

4.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,382 TTD 29.4K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

11.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,724 TTD 11.5K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-73.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$733 TTD 4,908

$664 MX$11.5K

10.33%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $759 in Port of Spain versus $973 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 10% 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 $89.0 in Port of Spain versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 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 21%, 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 $2,360 per month in Port of Spain and $1,945 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 $1,573 in Port of Spain and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 261% 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 $1,297, than in Port of Spain at $1,573. 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.