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: $1,719 in Jayuya versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,496 in Jayuya versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,272 in Jayuya versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Jayuya is roughly 33% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jayuya is 28% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.77 $16.77

$11.73 MX$203

42.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 $81.9

$41.62 MX$720

96.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$10.64 MX$184

-7.71%

Cappuccino

$3.26 $3.26

$3.52 MX$60.9

-7.39%

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

$1.69 $1.69

$1.51 MX$26.12

11.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.97 MX$16.84

42.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.95 MX$51.0

3.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$4.45 MX$77.0

-11.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.38 MX$23.93

76.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.89 MX$32.72

83.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.64 MX$28.32

31.71%

Eggs

$5.76 $5.76

$2.51 MX$43.34

129.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 $8.94

$8.34 MX$144

7.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 $8.31

$8.34 MX$144

-0.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.83 $12.83

$10.73 MX$186

19.57%

Apples (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$2.60 MX$45.04

132.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.46 MX$25.20

87.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$1.90 MX$32.87

104.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.08 MX$35.91

99.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$1.78 MX$30.71

120.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.19 MX$37.80

37.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.04 MX$17.99

186.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.08 MX$18.62

79.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.33 $11.33

$4.08 MX$70.6

177.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.15 $15.15

$10.32 MX$178

46.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.71 MX$29.61

42.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.58 MX$44.54

25.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.49 MX$43.09

-41.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.22 $15.22

$3.25 MX$56.2

368.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.31 MX$22.61

-22.90%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

17.91%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

15.46%

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

$314 $314

$82.9 MX$1,433

279.32%

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

$78.0 $78.0

$22.22 MX$384

251.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 $71.7

$29.34 MX$507

144.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$11.69 $11.69

$5.07 MX$87.6

130.57%

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

$466 $466

$201 MX$3,473

132.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K $10.5K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

102.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.15 $46.15

$36.92 MX$639

25.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 $56.6

$39.79 MX$688

42.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 $90.1

$78.5 MX$1,357

14.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$87.1 MX$1,506

22.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 $503

$973 MX$16.8K

-48.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 $448

$468 MX$8,090

-4.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 $1,792

$1,641 MX$28.4K

9.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 $558

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-54.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$859 $859

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-78.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$798 $798

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-87.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,421 $1,421

$664 MX$11.5K

114.06%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Jayuya and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jayuya pays 114% 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: $82.0 in Jayuya vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 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 33% in total monthly costs ($1,719 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Jayuya pays 114% more on average, 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: $503 in Jayuya versus $973 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 $1,719 per month in Jayuya versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,719 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 33% less than in Jayuya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.