Cost of Living Comparison Between Willemstad and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Willemstad and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,879 per month in Willemstad vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,927 per month in Willemstad vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,975 per month in Willemstad vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Willemstad costs about 46% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Willemstad sits 40% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.97 ANG 32.16

$11.94 MX$209

50.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 ANG 125

$42.75 MX$748

63.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.26 ANG 14.79

$10.59 MX$185

-22.00%

Cappuccino

$3.53 ANG 6.31

$3.62 MX$63.4

-2.49%

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

$2.88 ANG 5.16

$1.47 MX$25.69

95.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ANG 2.56

$0.94 MX$16.51

52.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.55 ANG 9.93

$3.09 MX$54.1

79.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 ANG 8.41

$4.46 MX$78.0

5.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 ANG 3.04

$1.43 MX$24.94

18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 ANG 4.23

$1.88 MX$32.97

25.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 ANG 4.94

$1.63 MX$28.50

69.33%

Eggs

$3.74 ANG 6.70

$2.64 MX$46.26

41.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 ANG 17.01

$8.21 MX$144

15.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 ANG 13.84

$8.29 MX$145

-6.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 ANG 17.59

$11.10 MX$194

-11.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.00 ANG 8.95

$2.65 MX$46.40

88.68%

Banana (1kg)

$3.32 ANG 5.94

$1.50 MX$26.26

121.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 ANG 5.43

$1.99 MX$34.79

52.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.42 ANG 7.90

$2.08 MX$36.33

112.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.95 ANG 5.29

$1.79 MX$31.29

64.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 ANG 5.06

$2.18 MX$38.09

29.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 ANG 3.97

$1.08 MX$18.84

105.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 ANG 3.74

$1.04 MX$18.15

100.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.46 ANG 15.14

$3.97 MX$69.5

113.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 ANG 25.49

$10.20 MX$179

39.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 ANG 4.65

$1.73 MX$30.22

50.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ANG 5.86

$2.50 MX$43.71

31.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 ANG 3.14

$0.52 MX$9.07

236.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$24.84 ANG 44.46

$3.14 MX$55.0

691.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 ANG 4.80

$2.40 MX$42.04

11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.82 ANG 89.2

$3.09 MX$54.0

1512.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ANG 2.28

$1.27 MX$22.28

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$19.2K ANG 34.4K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-17.54%

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

$244 ANG 436

$82.0 MX$1,435

197.05%

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

$84.5 ANG 151

$22.45 MX$393

276.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.7 ANG 114

$29.66 MX$519

114.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ANG 97.0

$51.9 MX$908

4.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.0 ANG 113

$18.67 MX$327

237.44%

Cinema Ticket

$9.77 ANG 17.48

$4.97 MX$87.0

96.58%

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

$226 ANG 405

$198 MX$3,462

14.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,503 ANG 17.0K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

80.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 ANG 156

$36.34 MX$636

140.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$92.4 ANG 165

$40.05 MX$701

130.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 ANG 258

$79.9 MX$1,398

80.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ANG 193

$88.9 MX$1,555

21.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 ANG 1,331

$963 MX$16.9K

-22.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 ANG 977

$465 MX$8,133

17.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,771 ANG 3,169

$1,596 MX$27.9K

10.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 ANG 2,110

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-2.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$841 ANG 1,506

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-78.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$165 ANG 296

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-97.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,269 ANG 2,272

$720 MX$12.6K

76.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.97

11.42

-56.48%

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

Last update for Willemstad: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $744 in Willemstad versus $963 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 76% higher in Willemstad, 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 $70.0 in Willemstad versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $251 – 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

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

Yes – Willemstad is pricier by about 46%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,819 per month in Willemstad and $1,930 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,879 in Willemstad and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Willemstad and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Willemstad at $1,879. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Willemstad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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