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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,683 in Jayuya versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,465 in Jayuya versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,246 in Jayuya versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Jayuya is roughly 34% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jayuya is 26% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.71 $16.71

$11.99 MX$210

39.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 $81.0

$41.78 MX$731

93.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 $9.50

$10.75 MX$188

-11.63%

Cappuccino

$3.31 $3.31

$3.50 MX$61.1

-5.43%

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

$1.76 $1.76

$1.45 MX$25.33

21.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.88 MX$15.47

61.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.95 MX$51.6

4.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 $4.10

$4.51 MX$78.9

-9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.43 MX$25.04

69.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.35 $3.35

$1.84 MX$32.13

82.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.57 MX$27.42

45.22%

Eggs

$5.76 $5.76

$2.51 MX$43.92

129.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 $8.89

$8.28 MX$145

7.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.65 $8.65

$8.43 MX$147

2.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.75 $12.75

$10.68 MX$187

19.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$2.61 MX$45.62

121.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.44 MX$25.15

90.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.96 MX$34.31

100.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.09 MX$36.62

89.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$1.85 MX$32.37

110.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.17 MX$37.90

34.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.03 MX$18.04

193.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.07 MX$18.78

81.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.45 $11.45

$4.10 MX$71.7

179.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$10.17 MX$178

49.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.68 MX$29.29

50.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.53 MX$44.17

25.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.41 MX$42.06

-36.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.25 $15.25

$3.23 MX$56.5

372.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.32 MX$23.10

-23.48%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

23.58%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

14.11%

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

$318 $318

$82.0 MX$1,434

287.82%

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

$80.0 $80.0

$22.95 MX$401

248.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$30.11 MX$527

134.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$909

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 $11.41

$4.98 MX$87.0

129.12%

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

$469 $469

$197 MX$3,452

137.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

95.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.33 $46.33

$35.60 MX$622

30.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 $56.2

$40.33 MX$705

39.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 $89.3

$78.8 MX$1,377

13.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$88.9 MX$1,555

19.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 $510

$947 MX$16.6K

-46.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 $453

$474 MX$8,288

-4.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 $1,801

$1,644 MX$28.7K

9.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 $543

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-55.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$848 $848

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-79.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$818 $818

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-87.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,421 $1,421

$654 MX$11.4K

117.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

11.42

-50.00%

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

Last update for Jayuya: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $510 in Jayuya and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jayuya pays 117% 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: $81.0 in Jayuya vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Jayuya and Playa del Carmen differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,683 vs $1,256 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 117% higher in Jayuya, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $510 in Jayuya versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Jayuya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,683 per month in Jayuya versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,683 in Jayuya, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Jayuya. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen 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.

Safety-wise, Jayuya 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 34% less than in Jayuya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.