Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Jubayhah and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Jubayhah and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Al Jubayhah vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Al Jubayhah vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,981 per month in Al Jubayhah vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al Jubayhah is about 28% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Al Jubayhah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Al Jubayhah 30% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.24 JOD 5.12

$11.73 MX$203

-38.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.88 JOD 34.59

$41.62 MX$720

17.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 JOD 5.01

$10.64 MX$184

-33.46%

Cappuccino

$4.08 JOD 2.89

$3.52 MX$60.9

15.91%

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

$0.47 JOD 0.33

$1.51 MX$26.12

-68.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 JOD 0.27

$0.97 MX$16.84

-60.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.68 JOD 4.02

$2.95 MX$51.0

92.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 JOD 5.09

$4.45 MX$77.0

61.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 JOD 1.01

$1.38 MX$23.93

2.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 JOD 0.38

$1.89 MX$32.72

-71.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JOD 1.16

$1.64 MX$28.32

-0.61%

Eggs

$2.45 JOD 1.74

$2.51 MX$43.34

-2.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.75 JOD 4.78

$8.34 MX$144

-19.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 JOD 2.96

$8.34 MX$144

-49.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.30 JOD 8.00

$10.73 MX$186

5.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 JOD 1.41

$2.60 MX$45.04

-23.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 JOD 1.26

$1.46 MX$25.20

22.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 JOD 1.00

$1.90 MX$32.87

-25.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 JOD 0.57

$2.08 MX$35.91

-61.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 JOD 0.62

$1.78 MX$30.71

-50.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$2.19 MX$37.80

-66.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 JOD 0.42

$1.04 MX$17.99

-42.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 JOD 0.45

$1.08 MX$18.62

-40.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 JOD 2.35

$4.08 MX$70.6

-18.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.31 JOD 15.08

$10.32 MX$178

106.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.73 JOD 3.35

$1.71 MX$29.61

176.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 JOD 3.77

$2.58 MX$44.54

106.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 JOD 0.52

$0.51 MX$8.81

43.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 JOD 0.51

$3.26 MX$56.4

-77.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 JOD 1.01

$2.49 MX$43.09

-42.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 JOD 4.94

$3.25 MX$56.2

114.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$1.31 MX$22.61

9.92%

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

$27.4K JOD 19.4K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-9.53%

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

$32.2K JOD 22.8K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

37.62%

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

$105 JOD 74.4

$82.9 MX$1,433

26.92%

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

$16.78 JOD 11.87

$22.22 MX$384

-24.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.29 JOD 22.14

$29.34 MX$507

6.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 JOD 7.92

$5.07 MX$87.6

120.71%

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

$270 JOD 191

$201 MX$3,473

34.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,317 JOD 3,763

$5,212 MX$90.1K

2.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 JOD 43.44

$36.92 MX$639

66.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 JOD 39.50

$39.79 MX$688

40.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 JOD 82.0

$78.5 MX$1,357

47.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 JOD 57.1

$87.1 MX$1,506

-7.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 JOD 197

$973 MX$16.8K

-71.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 JOD 151

$468 MX$8,090

-54.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 JOD 284

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-75.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 JOD 249

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-71.12%

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)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.27

11.42

-36.34%

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

Last update for Al Jubayhah: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $278 in Al Jubayhah 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Al Jubayhah versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Al Jubayhah vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Al Jubayhah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 39% more than Al Jubayhah, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Al Jubayhah 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 Al Jubayhah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Al Jubayhah and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Jubayhah, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Al Jubayhah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Al Jubayhah costs $932 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Al Jubayhah. 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.