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 $651 per month in Punto Fijo vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,086 per month in Punto Fijo vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,521 per month in Punto Fijo vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Punto Fijo is about 50% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.12 VES 3,412

$11.73 MX$203

-47.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.55 VES 13.7K

$41.62 MX$720

-41.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 VES 4,861

$10.64 MX$184

-18.05%

Cappuccino

$1.50 VES 835

$3.52 MX$60.9

-57.39%

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

$1.08 VES 603

$1.51 MX$26.12

-28.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 VES 312

$0.97 MX$16.84

-42.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 VES 739

$2.95 MX$51.0

-54.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 VES 1,486

$4.45 MX$77.0

-40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 VES 947

$1.38 MX$23.93

23.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 VES 837

$1.89 MX$32.72

-20.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 VES 600

$1.64 MX$28.32

-34.15%

Eggs

$2.80 VES 1,560

$2.51 MX$43.34

11.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.17 VES 2,326

$8.34 MX$144

-50.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.78 VES 3,223

$8.34 MX$144

-30.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.68 VES 3,167

$10.73 MX$186

-47.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.10 VES 2,844

$2.60 MX$45.04

96.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 VES 438

$1.46 MX$25.20

-45.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 VES 430

$1.90 MX$32.87

-59.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 VES 543

$2.08 MX$35.91

-53.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 VES 547

$1.78 MX$30.71

-44.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 VES 545

$2.19 MX$37.80

-55.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 VES 433

$1.04 MX$17.99

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 VES 618

$1.08 MX$18.62

2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.95 VES 2,201

$4.08 MX$70.6

-3.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 VES 685

$1.71 MX$29.61

-28.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 VES 1,355

$2.58 MX$44.54

-5.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 VES 570

$0.51 MX$8.81

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 VES 33.4K

$26.46 MX$458

126.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 VES 3,561

$3.26 MX$56.4

96.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.48 VES 1,940

$2.49 MX$43.09

39.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 VES 292

$1.31 MX$22.61

-60.31%

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

$30.5K VES 17.0M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

0.62%

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

$24.5K VES 13.7M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

4.78%

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

$22.36 VES 12.5K

$82.9 MX$1,433

-73.02%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.19 VES 17.9K

$29.34 MX$507

9.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.82 VES 11.6K

$51.6 MX$893

-59.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.89 VES 2,725

$18.32 MX$317

-73.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 VES 4,260

$5.07 MX$87.6

50.89%

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

$50.3 VES 28.0K

$201 MX$3,473

-74.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.17 VES 24.6K

$36.92 MX$639

19.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.49 VES 19.2K

$39.79 MX$688

-13.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 VES 43.7K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-0.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 VES 55.5K

$87.1 MX$1,506

14.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$100 VES 55.8K

$973 MX$16.8K

-89.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$81.3 VES 45.3K

$468 MX$8,090

-82.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 VES 195.0K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-78.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 VES 124.7K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-81.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$204 VES 113.5K

$664 MX$11.5K

-69.32%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $100 in Punto Fijo versus $973 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 226% 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 99%, 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 $977 per month in Punto Fijo and $1,945 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 $651 in Punto Fijo and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 127% 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 $651, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.