Cost of Living Comparison Between Punto Fijo and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Punto Fijo and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $658 per month in Punto Fijo vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,118 per month in Punto Fijo vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,579 per month in Punto Fijo vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Punto Fijo is about 48% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Punto Fijo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Punto Fijo 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 VES 4,361

$11.99 MX$210

-50.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.01 VES 18.4K

$41.78 MX$733

-40.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.71 VES 6,401

$10.75 MX$189

-18.98%

Cappuccino

$1.57 VES 1,157

$3.50 MX$61.3

-55.14%

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

$1.13 VES 829

$1.45 MX$25.41

-22.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 VES 444

$0.88 MX$15.52

-31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 VES 1,017

$2.95 MX$51.7

-53.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 VES 1,971

$4.51 MX$79.1

-40.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 VES 1,242

$1.43 MX$25.12

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 VES 1,150

$1.84 MX$32.23

-15.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 VES 793

$1.57 MX$27.51

-31.21%

Eggs

$2.67 VES 1,962

$2.51 MX$44.06

6.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.13 VES 3,038

$8.28 MX$145

-50.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 VES 4,138

$8.43 MX$148

-33.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.75 VES 4,225

$10.68 MX$187

-46.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 VES 3,769

$2.61 MX$45.76

96.55%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 VES 542

$1.44 MX$25.22

-48.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 VES 561

$1.96 MX$34.41

-61.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 VES 724

$2.09 MX$36.74

-53.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 VES 745

$1.85 MX$32.47

-45.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 VES 750

$2.17 MX$38.02

-53.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 VES 565

$1.03 MX$18.09

-25.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 VES 842

$1.07 MX$18.84

6.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 VES 2,962

$4.10 MX$72.0

-1.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 VES 944

$1.68 MX$29.38

-23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 VES 1,799

$2.53 MX$44.31

-3.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 VES 722

$0.51 MX$8.93

92.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.8 VES 44.0K

$26.04 MX$457

129.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 VES 4,666

$3.23 MX$56.7

96.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.60 VES 2,647

$2.41 MX$42.19

49.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 VES 382

$1.32 MX$23.17

-60.61%

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

$30.3K VES 22.3M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

2.12%

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

$25.3K VES 18.6M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

7.13%

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

$21.96 VES 16.1K

$82.0 MX$1,439

-73.22%

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

$22.95 MX$403

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.90 VES 23.5K

$30.11 MX$528

5.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.58 VES 15.1K

$52.0 MX$912

-60.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.14 VES 3,779

$18.53 MX$325

-72.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 VES 5,551

$4.98 MX$87.3

51.61%

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

$50.5 VES 37.1K

$197 MX$3,463

-74.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.48 VES 33.4K

$35.60 MX$624

27.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.97 VES 25.7K

$40.33 MX$707

-13.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 VES 59.5K

$78.8 MX$1,381

2.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 VES 73.3K

$88.9 MX$1,560

12.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$101 VES 74.4K

$947 MX$16.6K

-89.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.6 VES 57.8K

$474 MX$8,314

-83.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 VES 255.3K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-78.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 VES 162.6K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-81.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$201 VES 148.0K

$654 MX$11.5K

-69.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

110.16%

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

Last update for Punto Fijo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $101 in Punto Fijo versus $947 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 225% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Punto Fijo versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $249 – making Punto Fijo 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 91%, 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 $987 per month in Punto Fijo and $1,884 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 Punto Fijo, 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 $658 in Punto Fijo and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 130% less in Punto Fijo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Punto Fijo, where all-in costs run around $658, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Punto Fijo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Punto Fijo – 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 Punto Fijo. 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.