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 $1,881 per month in Willemstad vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,957 per month in Willemstad vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,033 per month in Willemstad vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Willemstad costs about 48% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Willemstad sits 40% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.90 ANG 31.94

$11.87 MX$204

50.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 ANG 126

$42.90 MX$736

64.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 ANG 15.09

$10.65 MX$183

-20.56%

Cappuccino

$3.46 ANG 6.17

$3.45 MX$59.2

0.29%

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

$2.90 ANG 5.18

$1.50 MX$25.81

93.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ANG 2.53

$0.95 MX$16.28

49.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.68 ANG 10.13

$3.03 MX$51.9

87.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 ANG 8.26

$4.61 MX$79.1

0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ANG 3.17

$1.38 MX$23.61

28.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 ANG 4.19

$1.85 MX$31.70

27.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 ANG 4.95

$1.61 MX$27.65

72.05%

Eggs

$3.68 ANG 6.57

$2.59 MX$44.51

42.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 ANG 16.67

$8.26 MX$142

13.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.68 ANG 13.71

$8.37 MX$144

-8.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ANG 17.62

$10.66 MX$183

-7.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 ANG 8.96

$2.63 MX$45.12

90.87%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 ANG 5.76

$1.49 MX$25.53

116.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 ANG 5.33

$1.92 MX$32.94

55.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 ANG 7.77

$2.09 MX$35.81

108.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 ANG 5.42

$1.86 MX$31.88

63.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 ANG 5.14

$2.26 MX$38.81

27.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 ANG 3.93

$1.06 MX$18.23

107.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ANG 3.58

$1.09 MX$18.67

83.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.41 ANG 15.01

$4.15 MX$71.2

102.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.08 ANG 25.13

$10.39 MX$178

35.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 ANG 4.69

$1.72 MX$29.59

52.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ANG 5.93

$2.61 MX$44.85

27.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 ANG 3.04

$0.54 MX$9.30

214.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$25.28 ANG 45.12

$3.13 MX$53.7

707.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 ANG 4.80

$2.51 MX$43.09

7.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.76 ANG 88.8

$3.15 MX$54.1

1479.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ANG 2.30

$1.27 MX$21.88

1.57%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$19.3K ANG 34.4K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-18.15%

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

$238 ANG 424

$83.0 MX$1,425

186.16%

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

$83.2 ANG 148

$22.71 MX$390

266.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 ANG 113

$29.46 MX$506

114.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 ANG 97.4

$51.0 MX$875

6.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.6 ANG 115

$18.33 MX$315

252.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.48 ANG 16.92

$4.93 MX$84.5

92.29%

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

$226 ANG 403

$197 MX$3,386

14.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,417 ANG 16.8K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

78.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.7 ANG 157

$36.90 MX$633

137.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$89.9 ANG 161

$39.89 MX$685

125.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 ANG 258

$80.0 MX$1,373

80.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ANG 194

$89.5 MX$1,536

21.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$747 ANG 1,333

$956 MX$16.4K

-21.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 ANG 978

$477 MX$8,189

14.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 ANG 3,048

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 ANG 2,066

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-5.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$831 ANG 1,483

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-78.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$168 ANG 300

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-97.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,254 ANG 2,239

$667 MX$11.4K

88.03%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $747 in Willemstad 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 88% 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 $71.0 in Willemstad versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 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

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

Yes – Willemstad is pricier by about 48%, 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 $2,821 per month in Willemstad 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 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 $1,881 in Willemstad and $1,271 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 $197 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 $1,271, than in Willemstad at $1,881. 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.