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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,123 per month in Amman vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,767 per month in Amman vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,412 per month in Amman vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Amman is about 13% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Amman and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Amman 16% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.93 JOD 4.90

$11.73 MX$203

-40.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.59 JOD 35.10

$41.62 MX$719

19.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.24 JOD 5.12

$10.64 MX$184

-31.95%

Cappuccino

$4.14 JOD 2.93

$3.52 MX$60.8

17.61%

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

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.51 MX$26.09

-66.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 JOD 0.27

$0.97 MX$16.82

-60.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 JOD 3.98

$2.95 MX$51.0

90.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 JOD 5.13

$4.45 MX$77.0

62.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 JOD 1.01

$1.38 MX$23.90

2.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.89 MX$32.69

-73.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JOD 1.15

$1.64 MX$28.29

-0.61%

Eggs

$2.56 JOD 1.81

$2.51 MX$43.30

1.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.48 JOD 4.59

$8.34 MX$144

-22.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 JOD 4.73

$8.34 MX$144

-19.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.66 JOD 8.25

$10.73 MX$185

8.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 JOD 1.41

$2.60 MX$45.00

-23.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 JOD 1.24

$1.46 MX$25.18

19.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$1.90 MX$32.84

-26.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 JOD 0.54

$2.08 MX$35.88

-63.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 JOD 0.66

$1.78 MX$30.68

-47.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$2.19 MX$37.76

-68.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 JOD 0.44

$1.04 MX$17.97

-40.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 JOD 0.42

$1.08 MX$18.60

-45.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 JOD 2.52

$4.08 MX$70.5

-12.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.01 JOD 14.87

$10.32 MX$178

103.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.77 JOD 3.38

$1.71 MX$29.59

178.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 JOD 3.74

$2.58 MX$44.50

104.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 JOD 0.54

$0.51 MX$8.81

50.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.74 JOD 30.25

$26.46 MX$457

61.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$3.26 MX$56.4

-78.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$2.49 MX$43.05

-44.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 JOD 4.88

$3.25 MX$56.1

112.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 JOD 1.04

$1.31 MX$22.59

12.21%

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

$26.6K JOD 18.8K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-12.12%

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

$31.7K JOD 22.4K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

35.17%

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

$106 JOD 74.7

$82.9 MX$1,432

27.39%

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

$16.80 JOD 11.89

$22.22 MX$384

-24.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.25 JOD 22.83

$29.34 MX$507

9.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 JOD 38.89

$51.6 MX$892

6.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.58 JOD 30.14

$18.32 MX$317

132.42%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 JOD 7.92

$5.07 MX$87.5

120.71%

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

$276 JOD 195

$201 MX$3,470

37.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,297 JOD 3,749

$5,212 MX$90.1K

1.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 JOD 42.86

$36.92 MX$638

64.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 JOD 40.49

$39.79 MX$688

43.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 JOD 80.0

$78.5 MX$1,356

44.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 JOD 55.9

$87.1 MX$1,505

-9.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 JOD 332

$973 MX$16.8K

-51.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 JOD 209

$468 MX$8,082

-36.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 JOD 559

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-51.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 JOD 376

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-56.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,660 JOD 1,175

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-57.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,035 JOD 733

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-84.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$694 JOD 491

$664 MX$11.5K

4.51%

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 Amman: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $469 in Amman 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 5% higher in Amman, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Amman versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Amman vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Amman 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 15% more than Amman, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,684 per month in Amman 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 Amman, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Amman. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $276 per month in Amman and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Amman, where all-in costs run around $1,123, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Amman 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. Amman costs $1,123 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 Amman. 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.