Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaco Beach and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaco Beach and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Jaco Beach versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,288 in Jaco Beach versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,120 in Jaco Beach versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Jaco Beach is roughly 12% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jaco Beach is 6% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.65 ₡5,213

$11.96 MX$203

-2.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.54 ₡19.9K

$47.38 MX$804

-5.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.67 ₡4,329

$11.75 MX$199

-17.70%

Cappuccino

$4.06 ₡1,819

$4.12 MX$70.0

-1.46%

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

$2.41 ₡1,078

$1.40 MX$23.74

72.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₡838

$0.91 MX$15.48

105.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 ₡1,447

$3.21 MX$54.4

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 ₡1,920

$7.07 MX$120

-39.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₡882

$1.68 MX$28.44

17.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 ₡996

$2.15 MX$36.48

3.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 ₡1,112

$1.77 MX$30.10

40.11%

Eggs

$2.63 ₡1,178

$2.82 MX$47.76

-6.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 ₡4,751

$9.20 MX$156

15.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 ₡4,008

$9.23 MX$157

-2.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 ₡5,432

$12.64 MX$214

-3.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 ₡2,211

$2.95 MX$50.1

67.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ₡701

$1.58 MX$26.79

-0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 ₡2,041

$2.22 MX$37.70

105.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 ₡1,592

$2.36 MX$40.09

50.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ₡692

$1.99 MX$33.81

-22.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 ₡659

$1.98 MX$33.58

-25.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₡426

$1.24 MX$21.04

-23.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 ₡860

$1.21 MX$20.55

58.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.81 ₡2,601

$4.60 MX$78.1

26.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 ₡6,314

$10.52 MX$178

34.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₡1,168

$1.69 MX$28.70

54.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₡996

$2.77 MX$47.06

-19.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.41 ₡1,078

$5.24 MX$88.8

-54.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡730

$3.65 MX$61.9

-55.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.66 ₡3,875

$5.78 MX$98.1

49.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 ₡683

$1.54 MX$26.09

-0.65%

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

$22.3K ₡10.0M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-2.12%

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

$34.8K ₡15.6M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

34.91%

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

$79.9 ₡35.8K

$90.7 MX$1,538

-11.85%

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

$24.02 ₡10.7K

$25.19 MX$427

-4.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.07 ₡21.1K

$31.75 MX$539

48.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ₡24.1K

$68.8 MX$1,167

-21.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$8.19 ₡3,663

$4.86 MX$82.5

68.52%

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

$483 ₡216.1K

$226 MX$3,828

113.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,329 ₡3.3M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

74.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.95 ₡11.2K

$47.38 MX$804

-47.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.9 ₡25.5K

$43.45 MX$737

31.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 ₡58.1K

$80.2 MX$1,361

61.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 ₡59.0K

$91.4 MX$1,550

44.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 ₡345.0K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-28.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 ₡238.6K

$409 MX$6,933

30.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 ₡892.8K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

1.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 ₡498.6K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-13.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$405 ₡181.3K

$773 MX$13.1K

-47.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

11.45

-23.32%

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

Last update for Jaco Beach: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $771 in Jaco Beach and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 91% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Jaco Beach vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $326 vs $278, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 91% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $771 in Jaco Beach versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $483 in Jaco Beach versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $45.00 in Jaco Beach. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,456 in Jaco Beach, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Jaco Beach. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Jaco Beach, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Jaco Beach and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Jaco Beach. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.