Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Portmore and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,250 in Portmore, rent and utilities included – about $550 less a year. The total is higher in Portmore despite lower rent and utilities.

60

Cost of Living Index in Portmore
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Portmore Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Portmore

🇯🇲 Jamaica

$1,250

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Portmore and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Portmore and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Portmore vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Portmore $1,250
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $2,081 per month in Portmore vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Portmore $2,081
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $2,912 per month in Portmore vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Portmore $2,912
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Portmore costs about 4% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Portmore and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Portmore 8% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.11 JMD 1,598

$10.92 MX$205

-7.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.1 JMD 9,975

$43.37 MX$813

45.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 JMD 1,262

$11.78 MX$221

-32.17%

Cappuccino

$5.27 JMD 833

$3.81 MX$71.4

38.32%

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

$0.93 JMD 147

$1.28 MX$24.03

-27.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 JMD 96.6

$0.78 MX$14.67

-21.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 JMD 345

$3.17 MX$59.3

-31.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 JMD 345

$4.93 MX$92.5

-55.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.18 JMD 502

$1.41 MX$26.35

125.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 JMD 575

$2.22 MX$41.54

63.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 JMD 163

$1.42 MX$26.56

-27.46%

Eggs

$3.44 JMD 544

$2.52 MX$47.27

36.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.29 JMD 1,784

$7.26 MX$136

55.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 JMD 982

$7.70 MX$144

-19.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 JMD 1,499

$12.69 MX$238

-25.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.88 JMD 929

$2.78 MX$52.2

111.51%

Banana (1kg)

$3.94 JMD 622

$1.37 MX$25.64

187.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 JMD 476

$2.55 MX$47.80

18.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 JMD 477

$2.12 MX$39.78

42.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 JMD 509

$1.94 MX$36.32

65.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 JMD 406

$1.89 MX$35.34

35.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 JMD 245

$1.15 MX$21.49

34.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 JMD 197

$1.18 MX$22.09

5.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.49 JMD 1,499

$4.30 MX$80.5

120.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 JMD 1,811

$9.95 MX$186

15.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 JMD 454

$1.58 MX$29.67

81.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 JMD 342

$2.67 MX$50.1

-19.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 JMD 355

$0.55 MX$10.37

309.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 JMD 7,917

$26.62 MX$499

88.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 JMD 145

$4.97 MX$93.1

-81.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 JMD 494

$3.33 MX$62.4

-6.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 JMD 1,017

$5.36 MX$100

20.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 JMD 200

$1.44 MX$27.06

-12.50%

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

$44.3K JMD 7.0M

$20.7K MX$387.3K

114.53%

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

$32.7K JMD 5.2M

$23.5K MX$439.7K

39.21%

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

$160 JMD 25.2K

$84.8 MX$1,589

88.35%

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

$28.89 JMD 4,564

$23.41 MX$439

23.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 JMD 8,346

$28.66 MX$537

84.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 JMD 9,273

$57.1 MX$1,069

2.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$542

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 JMD 2,129

$5.14 MX$96.3

162.06%

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

$281 JMD 44.4K

$207 MX$3,871

35.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,157 JMD 498.8K

$3,927 MX$73.6K

-19.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.28 JMD 3,677

$43.35 MX$812

-46.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 JMD 4,928

$41.44 MX$777

-24.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 JMD 12.2K

$74.2 MX$1,390

3.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 JMD 15.2K

$89.3 MX$1,672

7.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$315 JMD 49.7K

$980 MX$18.4K

-67.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 JMD 34.4K

$381 MX$7,136

-42.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 JMD 105.3K

$1,708 MX$32.0K

-60.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 JMD 95.5K

$1,075 MX$20.1K

-43.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,655 JMD 1.2M

$3,943 MX$73.9K

94.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,857 JMD 925.3K

$6,158 MX$115.4K

-4.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,280 JMD 202.3K

$735 MX$13.8K

74.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

11.45

-17.47%

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

Last update for Portmore: October 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Portmore

$337 27%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 24.5% $83

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Portmore

$241 19.3%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 43.3% $105

Accommodation & Living

Portmore

$218 17.4%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 74.7% $163

Eating Out

Portmore

$190 15.2%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 6.7% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Portmore

$102 8.2%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 9.2% $9.4

Sport & Entertainment

Portmore

$86 6.9%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 21.4% $18

Getting Around

Portmore

$76 6.1%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 33.3% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $315 in Portmore versus $980 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 74% higher in Portmore. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63 in Portmore versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇯🇲 Portmore

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

09:27 9:27 AM

Same time as Portmore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

170,000

149,923

💱 Currency

Jamaican Dollar JMD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD

1,000 JMD = 5.67 EUR

100 MXN = 5.34 USD

100 MXN = 4.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to JMD – Jamaican Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇯🇲 Jamaican Dollar ($)

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.67 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.74 MXN (100 MXN = 5.34 USD). 1 EUR = 20.91 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

USD to JMD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Portmore Playa del Carmen 1,110 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Portmore
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 – Portmore is pricier by about 4%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Portmore and $1,806 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $315 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,250 in Portmore and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 4% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 47% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,250 in Portmore and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,250 in Portmore. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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