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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,002 per month in Jos vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,365 per month in Jos vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,728 per month in Jos vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Jos is about 22% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Jos and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Jos 25% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.29 ₦1,761

$11.94 MX$208

-89.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.85 ₦18.9K

$42.75 MX$744

-67.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₦6,420

$10.59 MX$184

-55.62%

Cappuccino

$2.33 ₦3,178

$3.62 MX$63.0

-35.64%

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

$0.34 ₦471

$1.47 MX$25.54

-76.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₦342

$0.94 MX$16.41

-73.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 ₦941

$3.09 MX$53.8

-77.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

Milk (1 liter)

$3.65 ₦4,989

$1.43 MX$24.80

155.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₦1,300

$1.88 MX$32.79

-49.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 ₦4,491

$1.63 MX$28.34

101.84%

Eggs

$2.95 ₦4,029

$2.64 MX$45.99

11.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 ₦13.5K

$8.21 MX$143

20.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 ₦6,985

$8.29 MX$144

-38.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.59 ₦6,265

$11.10 MX$193

-58.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 ₦5,608

$2.65 MX$46.14

55.09%

Banana (1kg)

$4.89 ₦6,679

$1.50 MX$26.11

226.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 ₦3,718

$1.99 MX$34.59

36.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 ₦5,498

$2.08 MX$36.13

93.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 ₦3,118

$1.79 MX$31.11

27.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ₦2,698

$2.18 MX$37.87

-9.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₦870

$1.08 MX$18.73

-40.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₦974

$1.04 MX$18.04

-31.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

Wine (Bottle)

$3.98 ₦5,442

$10.20 MX$178

-60.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₦1,004

$1.73 MX$30.04

-57.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 ₦1,382

$3.14 MX$54.7

-67.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.14 ₦13.8K

$3.09 MX$53.7

228.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 ₦1,312

$1.27 MX$22.16

-24.41%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$98.7 ₦134.8K

$82.0 MX$1,427

20.35%

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

$9.98 ₦13.6K

$22.45 MX$391

-55.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.33 ₦53.7K

$51.9 MX$903

-24.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.15 ₦16.6K

$18.67 MX$325

-34.92%

Cinema Ticket

$8.77 ₦12.0K

$4.97 MX$86.5

76.46%

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$990 ₦1.4M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-81.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.01 ₦13.7K

$36.34 MX$632

-72.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.95 ₦20.4K

$40.05 MX$697

-62.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.1 ₦68.5K

$79.9 MX$1,390

-37.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.78 ₦68.0K

$88.9 MX$1,547

-43.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₦951.3K

$963 MX$16.8K

-27.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 ₦649.3K

$465 MX$8,086

2.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$875 ₦1.2M

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-45.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 ₦822.9K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-50.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,960 ₦2.7M

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-50.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,521 ₦2.1M

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-76.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$108 ₦148.1K

$720 MX$12.5K

-84.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Jos: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $697 in Jos versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 565% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Jos versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Jos vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,002 in Jos, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 28% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Jos and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Jos and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,002 in Jos and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jos, where all-in costs run around $1,002, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Jos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,002 in Jos to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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