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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $668 in Jambi versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,041 in Jambi versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,414 in Jambi versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Jambi costs roughly 47% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jambi 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.67 Rp 28.7K

$11.67 MX$202

-85.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.52 Rp 318.3K

$41.88 MX$726

-55.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.32 Rp 57.1K

$10.40 MX$180

-68.08%

Cappuccino

$1.41 Rp 24.2K

$3.61 MX$62.6

-60.94%

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

$1.26 Rp 21.7K

$1.47 MX$25.45

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 3,954

$0.91 MX$15.80

-74.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 Rp 43.5K

$3.03 MX$52.6

-16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 Rp 42.7K

$4.47 MX$77.4

-44.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$1.38 MX$23.83

-12.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 Rp 20.1K

$1.84 MX$31.93

-36.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 15.3K

$1.61 MX$27.82

-44.72%

Eggs

$1.54 Rp 26.5K

$2.57 MX$44.52

-40.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 Rp 136.4K

$8.49 MX$147

-6.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 Rp 53.8K

$8.49 MX$147

-63.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.73 Rp 132.8K

$10.99 MX$190

-29.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 Rp 41.5K

$2.73 MX$47.25

-11.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 25.7K

$1.50 MX$25.92

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 31.8K

$1.96 MX$33.93

-5.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 26.9K

$2.12 MX$36.70

-25.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 Rp 23.9K

$1.86 MX$32.30

-25.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 32.5K

$2.17 MX$37.67

-12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 16.7K

$1.07 MX$18.59

-9.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 7,673

$1.05 MX$18.18

-57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 Rp 44.0K

$4.19 MX$72.6

-38.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.65 Rp 406.4K

$10.28 MX$178

130.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 Rp 35.9K

$1.67 MX$28.87

25.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 Rp 53.3K

$2.49 MX$43.12

24.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,582

$0.54 MX$9.37

-40.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.03 Rp 172.3K

$26.27 MX$455

-61.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 Rp 9,242

$3.10 MX$53.8

-82.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 5,941

$2.46 MX$42.66

-85.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 Rp 49.0K

$3.24 MX$56.1

-12.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.2K

$1.26 MX$21.83

-34.13%

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

$25.0K Rp 429.7M

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-17.12%

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

$27.2K Rp 466.6M

$23.4K MX$406.3K

15.81%

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

$69.8 Rp 1.2M

$84.0 MX$1,456

-16.95%

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

$4.39 Rp 75.4K

$22.21 MX$385

-80.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.54 Rp 387.4K

$29.65 MX$514

-23.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.21 Rp 295.7K

$52.6 MX$912

-67.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.27 Rp 107.8K

$18.34 MX$318

-65.81%

Cinema Ticket

$2.79 Rp 47.9K

$4.95 MX$85.7

-43.64%

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

$93.9 Rp 1.6M

$198 MX$3,438

-52.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,452 Rp 128.1M

$5,322 MX$92.2K

40.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.00 Rp 721.7K

$35.95 MX$623

16.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.46 Rp 523.5K

$40.06 MX$694

-23.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.5 Rp 1.2M

$78.8 MX$1,365

-14.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.6 Rp 1.3M

$86.5 MX$1,499

-14.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 Rp 4.4M

$977 MX$16.9K

-73.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 Rp 2.7M

$471 MX$8,158

-66.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 Rp 10.1M

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-63.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 Rp 5.7M

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-72.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,200 Rp 20.6M

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-70.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$837 Rp 14.4M

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-87.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$217 Rp 3.7M

$714 MX$12.4K

-69.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.42

-19.88%

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

Last update for Jambi: April 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $257 in Jambi and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 230% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19 in Jambi vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $252 per month, with Jambi cheaper across the board.

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

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

Jambi and Playa del Carmen differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($668 vs $1,261 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 230% less. 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: $257 in Jambi versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $668 per month in Jambi versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jambi runs roughly 162% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $668 in Jambi versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jambi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Jambi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Jambi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.