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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $900 per month in Aqaba vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,498 per month in Aqaba vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,095 per month in Aqaba vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Aqaba is about 29% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Aqaba and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Aqaba 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.77 JOD 1.96

$11.60 MX$200

-76.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.8 JOD 47.98

$47.11 MX$812

43.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 JOD 3.07

$11.88 MX$205

-63.55%

Cappuccino

$4.40 JOD 3.11

$3.98 MX$68.6

10.55%

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

$0.65 JOD 0.46

$1.43 MX$24.60

-54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 JOD 0.40

$0.82 MX$14.22

-30.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.47 JOD 6.00

$3.19 MX$55.0

165.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.91 JOD 7.73

$6.79 MX$117

60.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 JOD 0.98

$1.68 MX$28.89

-17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 JOD 0.33

$2.20 MX$37.88

-78.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 JOD 1.07

$1.71 MX$29.45

-11.11%

Eggs

$1.70 JOD 1.21

$2.74 MX$47.26

-37.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.69 JOD 4.03

$9.58 MX$165

-40.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 JOD 2.95

$9.01 MX$155

-53.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.12 JOD 7.16

$12.81 MX$221

-21.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 JOD 0.99

$2.89 MX$49.81

-51.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$1.50 MX$25.81

-6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 JOD 0.76

$2.15 MX$37.03

-50.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 JOD 0.51

$2.26 MX$38.96

-67.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 JOD 0.50

$1.98 MX$34.15

-64.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 JOD 0.48

$1.99 MX$34.30

-65.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 JOD 0.44

$1.23 MX$21.28

-49.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 JOD 0.38

$1.20 MX$20.63

-55.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 JOD 2.73

$4.55 MX$78.5

-15.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.24 JOD 12.21

$10.37 MX$179

66.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 JOD 2.05

$1.62 MX$27.91

79.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 JOD 1.78

$2.88 MX$49.67

-12.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 JOD 0.34

$5.39 MX$92.9

-91.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$3.73 MX$64.3

-62.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.11 JOD 5.03

$5.77 MX$99.5

23.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 JOD 1.00

$1.54 MX$26.48

-7.79%

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

$31.6K JOD 22.4K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

40.29%

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

$31.4K JOD 22.2K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

20.58%

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

$130 JOD 91.8

$91.4 MX$1,576

41.83%

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

$15.77 JOD 11.16

$25.20 MX$435

-37.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.40 JOD 22.94

$31.24 MX$539

3.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 JOD 44.07

$67.2 MX$1,159

-7.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$11.12 JOD 7.87

$4.86 MX$83.8

128.81%

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

$491 JOD 348

$224 MX$3,856

119.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,841 JOD 2,012

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-32.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.20 JOD 19.96

$47.10 MX$812

-40.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.90 JOD 30.38

$44.29 MX$764

-3.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.69 JOD 29.52

$80.1 MX$1,381

-47.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.6 JOD 50.7

$92.7 MX$1,598

-22.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 JOD 201

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-73.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 JOD 148

$390 MX$6,728

-46.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 JOD 483

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-68.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 JOD 326

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-63.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,125 JOD 797

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-71.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$555 JOD 393

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-91.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 JOD 398

$758 MX$13.1K

-25.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

11.45

-40.52%

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

Last update for Aqaba: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Aqaba versus $1,063 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 35% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $68.0 in Aqaba versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $189 in Aqaba vs $276 in Playa del Carmen – so Aqaba 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,350 per month in Aqaba and $1,899 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 Aqaba, 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 $900 in Aqaba and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $491 per month in Aqaba and $224 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 Aqaba, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Aqaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aqaba – 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 Aqaba. 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.