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: $640 in Jambi versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $994 in Jambi versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,347 in Jambi versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Jambi costs roughly 49% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jambi 53% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.53 Rp 27.1K

$11.60 MX$200

-86.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.52 Rp 221.7K

$47.11 MX$812

-73.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.03 Rp 53.7K

$11.88 MX$205

-74.49%

Cappuccino

$1.31 Rp 23.2K

$3.98 MX$68.6

-67.09%

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

$0.42 Rp 7,415

$1.43 MX$24.60

-70.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,008

$0.82 MX$14.22

-71.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 Rp 49.4K

$3.19 MX$55.0

-12.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 Rp 61.1K

$6.79 MX$117

-49.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$1.68 MX$28.89

-33.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

$2.20 MX$37.88

-48.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.7K

$1.71 MX$29.45

-51.46%

Eggs

$1.43 Rp 25.3K

$2.74 MX$47.26

-47.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.60 Rp 116.9K

$9.58 MX$165

-31.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 Rp 55.2K

$9.01 MX$155

-65.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 Rp 140.6K

$12.81 MX$221

-38.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$2.89 MX$49.81

-22.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 Rp 22.8K

$1.50 MX$25.81

-14.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 Rp 30.2K

$2.15 MX$37.03

-20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 Rp 22.0K

$2.26 MX$38.96

-45.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 Rp 23.8K

$1.98 MX$34.15

-31.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

$1.99 MX$34.30

2.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 Rp 12.1K

$1.23 MX$21.28

-44.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,256

$1.20 MX$20.63

-65.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 Rp 48.5K

$4.55 MX$78.5

-39.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.96 Rp 371.2K

$10.37 MX$179

102.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 Rp 34.5K

$1.62 MX$27.91

20.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.4K

$2.88 MX$49.67

6.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 Rp 5,028

$0.60 MX$10.35

-53.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 8,791

$5.39 MX$92.9

-90.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,535

$3.73 MX$64.3

-91.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 Rp 59.0K

$5.77 MX$99.5

-42.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$1.54 MX$26.48

-50.00%

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

$20.8K Rp 368.9M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

-7.60%

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

$31.4K Rp 555.2M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

20.33%

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

$65.0 Rp 1.2M

$91.4 MX$1,576

-28.90%

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

$4.52 Rp 80.1K

$25.20 MX$435

-82.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.48 Rp 362.6K

$31.24 MX$539

-34.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.66 Rp 277.4K

$67.2 MX$1,159

-76.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.34 Rp 165.4K

$29.11 MX$502

-67.91%

Cinema Ticket

$2.78 Rp 49.3K

$4.86 MX$83.8

-42.80%

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

$94.8 Rp 1.7M

$224 MX$3,856

-57.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,085 Rp 143.2M

$4,229 MX$72.9K

91.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 Rp 895.1K

$47.10 MX$812

7.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.74 Rp 491.2K

$44.29 MX$764

-37.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 Rp 1.5M

$80.1 MX$1,381

3.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$92.7 MX$1,598

-15.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 Rp 4.6M

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-75.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 Rp 2.5M

$390 MX$6,728

-64.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 Rp 11.3M

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-70.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 Rp 7.4M

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-67.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,042 Rp 18.5M

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-73.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$761 Rp 13.5M

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-88.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$210 Rp 3.7M

$758 MX$13.1K

-72.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

11.45

-17.38%

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

Last update for Jambi: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $259 in Jambi and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 261% 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: $13.00 in Jambi vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $276 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 98% in total monthly costs ($640 vs $1,266 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 261% 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: $259 in Jambi versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $640 per month in Jambi versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $640 in Jambi versus $1,266 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 98% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.