Cost of Living Comparison Between Jolly Harbour and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Jolly Harbour and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,345 per month in Jolly Harbour vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,982 per month in Jolly Harbour vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,620 per month in Jolly Harbour vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Jolly Harbour costs about 4% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Jolly Harbour sits 0% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.47 EC$25.58

$11.73 MX$203

-19.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 EC$198

$41.62 MX$720

76.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 EC$20.04

$10.64 MX$184

-30.26%

Cappuccino

$5.69 EC$15.38

$3.52 MX$60.9

61.65%

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

$2.18 EC$5.88

$1.51 MX$26.12

44.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 EC$3.07

$0.97 MX$16.84

17.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 EC$15.16

$2.95 MX$51.0

90.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 EC$12.30

$4.45 MX$77.0

2.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 EC$8.11

$1.89 MX$32.72

58.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 EC$12.76

$1.64 MX$28.32

188.41%

Eggs

$8.09 EC$21.85

$2.51 MX$43.34

222.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.69 EC$15.36

$8.34 MX$144

-31.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 EC$19.78

$8.34 MX$144

-12.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 EC$44.83

$10.73 MX$186

54.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.64 EC$15.22

$2.60 MX$45.04

116.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 EC$4.85

$1.46 MX$25.20

23.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 EC$8.52

$1.90 MX$32.87

66.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 EC$9.64

$2.08 MX$35.91

71.63%

Potato (1kg)

$6.67 EC$18.01

$1.78 MX$30.71

274.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 EC$6.76

$2.19 MX$37.80

14.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.85 EC$10.40

$1.04 MX$17.99

270.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 EC$12.05

$1.08 MX$18.62

312.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 EC$34.46

$10.32 MX$178

23.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 EC$3.60

$1.71 MX$29.61

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 EC$8.40

$2.58 MX$44.54

20.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 EC$5.10

$0.51 MX$8.81

270.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.43 EC$14.65

$2.49 MX$43.09

118.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 EC$1.85

$1.31 MX$22.61

-47.33%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$518 EC$1,398

$82.9 MX$1,433

524.81%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 EC$181

$29.34 MX$507

128.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.9 EC$199

$51.6 MX$893

43.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.6 EC$147

$18.32 MX$317

197.87%

Cinema Ticket

$16.39 EC$44.25

$5.07 MX$87.6

223.27%

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-47.46%

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

Last update for Jolly Harbour: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Jolly Harbour versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Jolly Harbour costs about 4% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,017 per month in Jolly Harbour and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,345 in Jolly Harbour and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 55% more in Jolly Harbour, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Jolly Harbour at $1,345. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jolly Harbour it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $1,345 in Jolly Harbour. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jolly Harbour makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.