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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Jekabpils versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,809 in Jekabpils versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,401 in Jekabpils versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Jekabpils costs roughly 4% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jekabpils 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jekabpils
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.92 €11.26
$11.60 MX$199
11.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.50 €28.32
$47.11 MX$809
-31.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.81 €8.55
$11.88 MX$204
-17.42%
Cappuccino
$3.55 €3.09
$3.98 MX$68.2
-10.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 €0.89
$1.43 MX$24.49
-28.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 €0.86
$0.82 MX$14.16
20.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.91 €5.15
$3.19 MX$54.7
85.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.57 €3.98
$6.79 MX$117
-32.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jekabpils
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 €0.97
$1.68 MX$28.76
-33.93%
White Bread (500g)
$1.51 €1.32
$2.20 MX$37.71
-31.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.58 €2.25
$1.71 MX$29.32
50.88%
Eggs
$2.36 €2.06
$2.74 MX$47.05
-13.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.90 €9.50
$9.58 MX$164
13.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.02 €6.12
$9.01 MX$155
-22.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.41 €12.55
$12.81 MX$220
12.49%
Apples (1kg)
$1.63 €1.42
$2.89 MX$49.58
-43.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 €1.49
$1.50 MX$25.70
14.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 €1.71
$2.15 MX$36.87
-8.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.14 €2.73
$2.26 MX$38.79
38.94%
Potato (1kg)
$0.94 €0.82
$1.98 MX$34.00
-52.53%
Onion (1kg)
$0.96 €0.84
$1.99 MX$34.15
-51.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.77 €1.54
$1.23 MX$21.18
43.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 €0.74
$1.20 MX$20.54
-29.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.85 €5.10
$4.55 MX$78.1
28.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.94 €6.05
$10.37 MX$178
-33.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 €1.30
$1.62 MX$27.79
-8.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 €1.48
$2.88 MX$49.44
-40.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Jekabpils
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.13 €0.98
$0.60 MX$10.30
88.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$69.7 €60.7
$28.80 MX$494
142.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.03 €0.89
$5.39 MX$92.5
-80.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 €0.36
$3.73 MX$64.0
-88.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.31 €15.95
$5.77 MX$99.0
217.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.78 €1.55
$1.54 MX$26.37
15.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K €24.6K
$22.5K MX$387.0K
25.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.8K €27.7K
$26.1K MX$447.3K
22.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jekabpils
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$277 €242
$91.4 MX$1,569
203.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33 €9.87
$25.20 MX$433
-55.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.80 €14.64
$31.24 MX$536
-46.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jekabpils
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.02 €29.64
$67.2 MX$1,154
-49.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.60 €11.84
$29.11 MX$500
-53.28%
Cinema Ticket
$11.13 €9.70
$4.86 MX$83.5
129.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jekabpils
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$633 €551
$224 MX$3,839
183.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,104 €7,060
$4,229 MX$72.6K
91.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jekabpils
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.8 €63.4
$47.10 MX$808
54.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.34 €25.56
$44.29 MX$760
-33.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.4 €77.0
$80.1 MX$1,375
10.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$142 €124
$92.7 MX$1,591
53.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jekabpils
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$233 €203
$1,063 MX$18.2K
-78.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$173 €151
$390 MX$6,698
-55.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$408 €356
$2,149 MX$36.9K
-81.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$346 €302
$1,272 MX$21.8K
-72.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$855 €745
$4,001 MX$68.7K
-78.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$827 €721
$6,502 MX$111.6K
-87.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jekabpils
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,020 €888
$758 MX$13.0K
34.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.64
11.45
-59.48%

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

Last update for Jekabpils: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $233 in Jekabpils and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jekabpils pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Jekabpils vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $276 per month, with Jekabpils 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
Jekabpils vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Jekabpils and in Playa del Carmen?
Jekabpils and Playa del Carmen differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,218 vs $1,266 including rent). Jekabpils is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Jekabpils or Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 35% higher in Jekabpils, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Jekabpils and in Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $233 in Jekabpils versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Jekabpils or Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $1,218 per month in Jekabpils versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Jekabpils and in Playa del Carmen?
A monthly transit pass in Jekabpils runs roughly 142% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,218 in Jekabpils versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jekabpils but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Jekabpils the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Jekabpils and Playa del Carmen?
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.
Is Jekabpils or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Jekabpils 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.
Where should expats move: Jekabpils or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Jekabpils gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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