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 $1,102 per month in Portmore vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,849 per month in Portmore vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,595 per month in Portmore vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Portmore is about 13% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Portmore and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Portmore 17% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.80 JMD 755

$11.72 MX$203

-59.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.4 JMD 9,810

$41.89 MX$726

48.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 JMD 1,365

$10.51 MX$182

-17.41%

Cappuccino

$4.41 JMD 693

$3.59 MX$62.1

22.84%

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

$0.63 JMD 98.7

$1.51 MX$26.13

-58.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 JMD 78.9

$0.92 MX$15.86

-45.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 JMD 289

$2.96 MX$51.2

-37.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 JMD 354

$4.41 MX$76.4

-48.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 JMD 487

$1.40 MX$24.19

121.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 JMD 558

$1.88 MX$32.65

88.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 JMD 160

$1.56 MX$27.01

-34.62%

Eggs

$3.58 JMD 563

$2.61 MX$45.20

37.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 JMD 1,707

$8.32 MX$144

30.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 JMD 973

$8.35 MX$145

-25.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 JMD 1,175

$10.86 MX$188

-31.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.91 JMD 929

$2.71 MX$47.00

118.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 JMD 470

$1.51 MX$26.08

98.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 JMD 453

$1.87 MX$32.46

54.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 JMD 478

$2.19 MX$37.94

38.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 330

$1.86 MX$32.18

12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 JMD 302

$2.23 MX$38.64

-13.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 JMD 239

$1.07 MX$18.51

42.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 JMD 200

$1.09 MX$18.82

16.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.66 JMD 1,361

$4.19 MX$72.5

106.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 JMD 1,754

$10.43 MX$181

7.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 JMD 440

$1.66 MX$28.72

68.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 JMD 335

$2.61 MX$45.26

-18.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 JMD 250

$0.54 MX$9.39

194.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.4 JMD 9,968

$26.16 MX$453

142.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 JMD 146

$3.08 MX$53.3

-69.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 JMD 507

$2.40 MX$41.66

34.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 JMD 1,011

$3.13 MX$54.2

105.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 JMD 171

$1.31 MX$22.72

-16.79%

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

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

$29.8K MX$516.4K

42.12%

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

$33.6K JMD 5.3M

$23.3K MX$404.1K

44.02%

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

$156 JMD 24.6K

$81.3 MX$1,408

92.48%

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

$21.70 JMD 3,411

$22.56 MX$391

-3.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 JMD 8,082

$30.05 MX$521

71.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$13.24 JMD 2,081

$4.92 MX$85.2

169.11%

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

$227 JMD 35.6K

$201 MX$3,479

12.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,450 JMD 385.1K

$5,175 MX$89.7K

-52.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.67 JMD 4,035

$35.92 MX$622

-28.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.00 JMD 4,087

$40.13 MX$695

-35.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 JMD 11.2K

$79.7 MX$1,381

-10.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 JMD 12.2K

$86.5 MX$1,498

-10.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 JMD 48.8K

$978 MX$16.9K

-68.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 JMD 35.0K

$470 MX$8,152

-52.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 JMD 103.9K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-59.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 JMD 91.7K

$1,203 MX$20.9K

-51.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,530 JMD 1.2M

$3,953 MX$68.5K

90.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,860 JMD 921.2K

$6,607 MX$114.5K

-11.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,312 JMD 206.3K

$677 MX$11.7K

93.97%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $310 in Portmore 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.

Salaries run about 94% 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 $62.0 in Portmore versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 vs $252 – 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 14%, 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 $1,653 per month in Portmore 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 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 $1,102 in Portmore and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 142% 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 $1,102, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.