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 $1,129 per month in Amman vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,798 per month in Amman vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,466 per month in Amman vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Amman is about 10% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Amman and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Amman 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 JOD 5.09

$11.99 MX$209

-40.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 JOD 35.60

$41.78 MX$728

20.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 JOD 5.03

$10.75 MX$187

-33.95%

Cappuccino

$4.22 JOD 2.99

$3.50 MX$60.9

20.57%

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

$0.48 JOD 0.34

$1.45 MX$25.22

-66.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 JOD 0.25

$0.88 MX$15.41

-60.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.61 JOD 3.97

$2.95 MX$51.3

90.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 JOD 4.93

$4.51 MX$78.6

54.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 JOD 1.05

$1.43 MX$24.94

3.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.84 MX$31.99

-72.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JOD 1.15

$1.57 MX$27.31

3.82%

Eggs

$2.52 JOD 1.79

$2.51 MX$43.74

0.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.47 JOD 4.58

$8.28 MX$144

-21.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 JOD 4.66

$8.43 MX$147

-21.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 JOD 7.96

$10.68 MX$186

5.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 JOD 1.42

$2.61 MX$45.43

-23.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 JOD 1.21

$1.44 MX$25.04

18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 JOD 1.03

$1.96 MX$34.16

-26.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 JOD 0.53

$2.09 MX$36.47

-64.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 JOD 0.63

$1.85 MX$32.24

-52.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 JOD 0.52

$2.17 MX$37.74

-66.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 JOD 0.46

$1.03 MX$17.96

-36.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 JOD 0.44

$1.07 MX$18.70

-42.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.59 JOD 2.54

$4.10 MX$71.4

-12.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.57 JOD 15.27

$10.17 MX$177

112.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.68 JOD 3.31

$1.68 MX$29.17

178.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 JOD 3.75

$2.53 MX$43.98

109.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JOD 0.57

$0.51 MX$8.87

58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.90 JOD 29.66

$26.04 MX$453

60.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$3.23 MX$56.3

-77.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$2.41 MX$41.88

-41.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.04 JOD 4.98

$3.23 MX$56.2

117.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 JOD 1.03

$1.32 MX$23.00

9.85%

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

$26.6K JOD 18.9K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-10.31%

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

$32.1K JOD 22.7K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

35.66%

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

$107 JOD 75.7

$82.0 MX$1,428

30.33%

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

$17.28 JOD 12.23

$22.95 MX$400

-24.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.42 JOD 22.25

$30.11 MX$524

4.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 JOD 38.74

$52.0 MX$905

5.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.42 JOD 30.74

$18.53 MX$323

134.32%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 JOD 8.09

$4.98 MX$86.6

129.52%

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

$270 JOD 191

$197 MX$3,438

36.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,445 JOD 3,855

$5,336 MX$92.9K

2.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 JOD 44.24

$35.60 MX$620

75.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 JOD 39.81

$40.33 MX$702

39.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 JOD 81.1

$78.8 MX$1,371

45.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 JOD 55.9

$88.9 MX$1,549

-11.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 JOD 331

$947 MX$16.5K

-50.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 JOD 213

$474 MX$8,254

-36.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$781 JOD 553

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-52.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 JOD 381

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-55.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,596 JOD 1,130

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-60.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,027 JOD 727

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-84.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$697 JOD 493

$654 MX$11.4K

6.57%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Amman versus $947 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 7% 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 11% 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 $1,694 per month in Amman and $1,884 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 61% less in Amman. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $270 per month in Amman 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Amman, where all-in costs run around $1,129, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $1,129 versus $1,256 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.