Cost of Living Comparison Between Portmore and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Portmore and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,112 per month in Portmore vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Portmore vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,594 per month in Portmore vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Portmore is about 14% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Portmore and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Portmore 17% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.82 JMD 757

$11.94 MX$209

-59.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.9 JMD 9,885

$42.75 MX$748

47.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 JMD 1,380

$10.59 MX$185

-17.09%

Cappuccino

$4.23 JMD 665

$3.62 MX$63.4

16.85%

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

$0.69 JMD 108

$1.47 MX$25.69

-53.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 JMD 78.8

$0.94 MX$16.51

-46.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 JMD 291

$3.09 MX$54.1

-40.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 JMD 350

$4.46 MX$78.0

-50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 JMD 479

$1.43 MX$24.94

113.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 JMD 571

$1.88 MX$32.97

93.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 JMD 155

$1.63 MX$28.50

-39.26%

Eggs

$3.53 JMD 554

$2.64 MX$46.26

33.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 JMD 1,757

$8.21 MX$144

36.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 JMD 1,011

$8.29 MX$145

-22.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 JMD 1,178

$11.10 MX$194

-32.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 JMD 941

$2.65 MX$46.40

126.04%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 JMD 488

$1.50 MX$26.26

107.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 JMD 464

$1.99 MX$34.79

48.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.06 JMD 481

$2.08 MX$36.33

47.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 315

$1.79 MX$31.29

12.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 JMD 313

$2.18 MX$38.09

-8.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 JMD 250

$1.08 MX$18.84

47.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 JMD 201

$1.04 MX$18.15

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.71 JMD 1,368

$3.97 MX$69.5

119.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 JMD 1,804

$10.20 MX$179

12.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 446

$1.73 MX$30.22

64.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 JMD 354

$2.50 MX$43.71

-9.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 JMD 252

$0.52 MX$9.07

207.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 JMD 9,884

$26.97 MX$472

133.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 JMD 143

$3.14 MX$55.0

-71.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 510

$2.40 MX$42.04

35.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 JMD 988

$3.09 MX$54.0

103.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 JMD 170

$1.27 MX$22.28

-14.96%

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

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

38.33%

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

$33.8K JMD 5.3M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

44.87%

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

$156 JMD 24.5K

$82.0 MX$1,435

89.88%

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

$22.40 JMD 3,518

$22.45 MX$393

-0.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 JMD 8,129

$29.66 MX$519

74.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$13.17 JMD 2,068

$4.97 MX$87.0

164.99%

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

$224 JMD 35.2K

$198 MX$3,462

13.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,479 JMD 389.4K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-52.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.93 JMD 4,073

$36.34 MX$636

-28.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 JMD 3,977

$40.05 MX$701

-36.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 JMD 11.0K

$79.9 MX$1,398

-12.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 JMD 11.8K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-15.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 JMD 49.4K

$963 MX$16.9K

-67.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 JMD 33.8K

$465 MX$8,133

-53.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 JMD 101.5K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-59.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 JMD 93.8K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-50.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,724 JMD 1.2M

$3,942 MX$69.0K

95.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,745 JMD 902.3K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-10.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,267 JMD 199.0K

$720 MX$12.6K

75.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.42

-19.88%

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

Last update for Portmore: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $314 in Portmore 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.

Salaries run about 76% higher in Portmore, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Portmore versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $251 – 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,668 per month in Portmore 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 Portmore, 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 $1,112 in Portmore and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 133% less in Portmore. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Portmore, where all-in costs run around $1,112, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Portmore it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Portmore – 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 Portmore. 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.