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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,282 per month in Juba vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,889 per month in Juba vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,495 per month in Juba vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Juba costs about 161% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Juba sits 146% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 SSP 13.8K

$11.99 MX$209

-59.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.36 SSP 133.3K

$41.78 MX$728

13.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.97 SSP 19.6K

$10.75 MX$187

-35.16%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

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

$1.01 SSP 2,847

$1.45 MX$25.22

-30.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

Eggs

$2.11 SSP 5,946

$2.51 MX$43.74

-15.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SSP 1,457

$1.07 MX$18.70

-51.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.19 SSP 20.2K

$3.23 MX$56.3

122.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 SSP 4,104

$1.32 MX$23.00

10.61%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

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

$22.95 MX$400

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$100.0 SSP 281.3K

$30.11 MX$524

231.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$345 SSP 970.9K

$52.0 MX$905

563.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

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

$197 MX$3,438

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 SSP 9.9M

$947 MX$16.5K

272.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,754 SSP 7.8M

$474 MX$8,254

480.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$11.9K SSP 33.4M

$1,644 MX$28.6K

622.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 SSP 3.7M

$1,211 MX$21.1K

7.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,764 SSP 5.0M

$654 MX$11.4K

169.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.08%

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

Last update for Juba: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,532 in Juba versus $947 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 170% higher in Juba, 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 $47.00 in Juba versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $15.00 in Juba vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Juba 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

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

Yes – Juba is pricier by about 161%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,923 per month in Juba and $1,884 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1596% cheaper in Juba – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Juba and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Juba at $3,282. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Juba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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