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 $1,086 per month in Portmore vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,829 per month in Portmore vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,572 per month in Portmore vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Portmore is about 15% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Portmore and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Portmore 19% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 JMD 754

$11.87 MX$204

-59.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.6 JMD 9,843

$42.90 MX$736

45.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 JMD 1,413

$10.65 MX$183

-15.59%

Cappuccino

$4.39 JMD 691

$3.45 MX$59.2

27.25%

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

$0.63 JMD 99.8

$1.50 MX$25.81

-58.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 JMD 85.8

$0.95 MX$16.28

-42.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 JMD 303

$3.03 MX$51.9

-36.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 JMD 348

$4.61 MX$79.1

-52.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.06 JMD 481

$1.38 MX$23.61

121.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 JMD 566

$1.85 MX$31.70

94.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 JMD 159

$1.61 MX$27.65

-37.27%

Eggs

$3.50 JMD 550

$2.59 MX$44.51

35.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 JMD 1,748

$8.26 MX$142

34.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 JMD 984

$8.37 MX$144

-25.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 JMD 1,177

$10.66 MX$183

-29.83%

Apples (1kg)

$5.86 JMD 922

$2.63 MX$45.12

122.81%

Banana (1kg)

$3.01 JMD 473

$1.49 MX$25.53

102.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 JMD 461

$1.92 MX$32.94

52.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.96 JMD 466

$2.09 MX$35.81

41.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 JMD 321

$1.86 MX$31.88

9.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 JMD 305

$2.26 MX$38.81

-14.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 JMD 250

$1.06 MX$18.23

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 JMD 195

$1.09 MX$18.67

13.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.96 JMD 1,409

$4.15 MX$71.2

115.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 JMD 1,814

$10.39 MX$178

10.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 JMD 447

$1.72 MX$29.59

65.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 JMD 334

$2.61 MX$44.85

-18.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 JMD 240

$0.54 MX$9.30

181.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.3 JMD 9,958

$26.94 MX$462

135.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 JMD 145

$3.13 MX$53.7

-70.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 JMD 502

$2.51 MX$43.09

27.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 JMD 993

$3.15 MX$54.1

100.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 JMD 171

$1.27 MX$21.88

-14.96%

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

$42.6K JMD 6.7M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

40.24%

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

$33.1K JMD 5.2M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

40.41%

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

$155 JMD 24.4K

$83.0 MX$1,425

86.83%

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

$21.91 JMD 3,446

$22.71 MX$390

-3.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.2 JMD 7,897

$29.46 MX$506

70.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$13.38 JMD 2,104

$4.93 MX$84.5

171.40%

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

$226 JMD 35.5K

$197 MX$3,386

14.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,515 JMD 395.6K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-52.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.22 JMD 4,123

$36.90 MX$633

-28.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.01 JMD 4,090

$39.89 MX$685

-34.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 JMD 11.4K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-9.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 JMD 11.9K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-15.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 JMD 49.9K

$956 MX$16.4K

-66.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 JMD 34.3K

$477 MX$8,189

-54.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 JMD 104.2K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-59.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 JMD 93.9K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-51.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,779 JMD 1.2M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

98.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,891 JMD 926.4K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-8.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,294 JMD 203.5K

$667 MX$11.4K

94.04%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $317 in Portmore versus $956 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 $63.0 in Portmore versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $250 – 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 17%, 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 $1,629 per month in Portmore and $1,906 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 $1,086 in Portmore and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 135% 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 $1,086, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.