Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaboatão dos Guararapes and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaboatão dos Guararapes and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $707 per month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,166 per month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,626 per month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Jaboatão dos Guararapes is about 44% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Jaboatão dos Guararapes and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Jaboatão dos Guararapes 47% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.97 R$30.53

$11.99 MX$210

-50.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.40 R$140

$41.78 MX$733

-34.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 R$31.63

$10.75 MX$189

-42.42%

Cappuccino

$1.82 R$9.32

$3.50 MX$61.3

-48.00%

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

$0.88 R$4.48

$1.45 MX$25.41

-39.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 R$2.71

$0.88 MX$15.52

-39.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 R$7.54

$2.95 MX$51.7

-49.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 R$11.11

$4.51 MX$79.1

-51.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.63

$1.43 MX$25.12

-23.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 R$7.28

$1.84 MX$32.23

-22.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 R$5.11

$1.57 MX$27.51

-36.31%

Eggs

$1.84 R$9.39

$2.51 MX$44.06

-26.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 R$34.88

$8.28 MX$145

-17.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 R$18.61

$8.43 MX$148

-56.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 R$38.41

$10.68 MX$187

-29.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 R$11.20

$2.61 MX$45.76

-16.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 R$4.46

$1.44 MX$25.22

-39.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 R$4.82

$1.96 MX$34.41

-52.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 R$5.77

$2.09 MX$36.74

-45.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.79

$1.85 MX$32.47

-28.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.15

$2.17 MX$38.02

-53.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 R$2.74

$1.03 MX$18.09

-47.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.86

$1.07 MX$18.84

-47.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.23 R$6.28

$4.10 MX$72.0

-70.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 R$39.08

$10.17 MX$178

-24.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 R$6.15

$1.68 MX$29.38

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R$12.61

$2.53 MX$44.31

-2.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 R$3.67

$0.51 MX$8.93

41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.91 R$204

$26.04 MX$457

53.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R$5.80

$3.23 MX$56.7

-65.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 R$3.38

$2.41 MX$42.19

-72.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 R$18.32

$3.23 MX$56.6

11.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.66

$1.32 MX$23.17

-15.91%

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

$16.4K R$83.7K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-44.87%

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

$31.1K R$159.1K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

31.53%

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

$44.09 R$225

$82.0 MX$1,439

-46.24%

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

$15.79 R$80.7

$22.95 MX$403

-31.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.92 R$86.5

$30.11 MX$528

-43.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.18 R$113

$52.0 MX$912

-57.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.73 R$111

$18.53 MX$325

17.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 R$34.22

$4.98 MX$87.3

34.54%

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

$115 R$588

$197 MX$3,463

-41.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,401 R$32.7K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

19.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 R$308

$35.60 MX$624

69.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 R$260

$40.33 MX$707

25.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 R$427

$78.8 MX$1,381

6.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 R$397

$88.9 MX$1,560

-12.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 R$1,598

$947 MX$16.6K

-66.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 R$866

$474 MX$8,314

-64.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 R$2,940

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-65.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 R$1,587

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-74.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,621 R$8,283

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-60.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,137 R$5,810

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-82.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$257 R$1,312

$654 MX$11.5K

-60.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.08%

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

Last update for Jaboatão dos Guararapes: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $313 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes 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 155% 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 $27.00 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 vs $249 – making Jaboatão dos Guararapes 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

Jaboatão dos Guararapes vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 78%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,061 per month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes 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 Jaboatão dos Guararapes, 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 $707 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 53% less in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, where all-in costs run around $707, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Jaboatão dos Guararapes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jaboatão dos Guararapes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Jaboatão dos Guararapes. 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.