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 $1,243 per month in Portmore vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,094 per month in Portmore vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,944 per month in Portmore vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Portmore is about 2% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Portmore and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Portmore 9% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.22 JMD 1,602

$11.60 MX$199

-11.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.2 JMD 9,744

$47.11 MX$809

31.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 JMD 1,408

$11.88 MX$204

-24.41%

Cappuccino

$5.19 JMD 814

$3.98 MX$68.2

30.40%

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

$0.92 JMD 144

$1.43 MX$24.49

-35.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 JMD 102

$0.82 MX$14.16

-20.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 JMD 341

$3.19 MX$54.7

-31.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 JMD 341

$6.79 MX$117

-67.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 JMD 486

$1.68 MX$28.76

84.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 JMD 556

$2.20 MX$37.71

61.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 JMD 156

$1.71 MX$29.32

-41.52%

Eggs

$3.48 JMD 545

$2.74 MX$47.05

27.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 JMD 1,780

$9.58 MX$164

18.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 JMD 1,012

$9.01 MX$155

-28.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.35 JMD 1,465

$12.81 MX$220

-27.01%

Apples (1kg)

$6.05 JMD 948

$2.89 MX$49.58

109.34%

Banana (1kg)

$3.94 JMD 618

$1.50 MX$25.70

162.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 JMD 460

$2.15 MX$36.87

36.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 JMD 470

$2.26 MX$38.79

32.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 JMD 498

$1.98 MX$34.00

60.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 JMD 407

$1.99 MX$34.15

30.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 JMD 247

$1.23 MX$21.18

27.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.20 MX$20.54

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.26 JMD 1,451

$4.55 MX$78.1

103.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.47 JMD 1,797

$10.37 MX$178

10.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 JMD 459

$1.62 MX$27.79

80.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 JMD 338

$2.88 MX$49.44

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 JMD 368

$0.60 MX$10.30

291.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 JMD 8,042

$28.80 MX$494

78.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 JMD 156

$5.39 MX$92.5

-81.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 JMD 506

$3.73 MX$64.0

-13.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.21 JMD 973

$5.77 MX$99.0

7.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 JMD 199

$1.54 MX$26.37

-17.53%

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

$44.9K JMD 7.0M

$22.5K MX$387.0K

99.32%

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

$33.4K JMD 5.2M

$26.1K MX$447.3K

28.31%

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

$161 JMD 25.3K

$91.4 MX$1,569

76.49%

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

$29.50 JMD 4,623

$25.20 MX$433

17.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 JMD 8,401

$31.24 MX$536

71.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 JMD 9,343

$67.2 MX$1,154

-11.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$13.54 JMD 2,122

$4.86 MX$83.5

178.60%

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

$284 JMD 44.6K

$224 MX$3,839

27.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,108 JMD 487.1K

$4,229 MX$72.6K

-26.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.31 JMD 3,654

$47.10 MX$808

-50.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.31 JMD 5,064

$44.29 MX$760

-27.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 JMD 12.2K

$80.1 MX$1,375

-2.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 JMD 14.8K

$92.7 MX$1,591

1.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 JMD 49.1K

$1,063 MX$18.2K

-70.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 JMD 34.3K

$390 MX$6,698

-43.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 JMD 103.2K

$2,149 MX$36.9K

-69.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 JMD 95.1K

$1,272 MX$21.8K

-52.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,565 JMD 1.2M

$4,001 MX$68.7K

89.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,760 JMD 902.8K

$6,502 MX$111.6K

-11.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,294 JMD 202.8K

$758 MX$13.0K

70.71%

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: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $313 in Portmore versus $1,063 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 71% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $276 – 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 2%, 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 $1,864 per month in Portmore and $1,899 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 $1,243 in Portmore and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 78% 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 $1,243, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.