Cost of Living Comparison Between Ma'an and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ma'an and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $757 per month in Ma'an vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,212 per month in Ma'an vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,667 per month in Ma'an vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ma'an is about 40% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Ma'an and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ma'an 44% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.90 JOD 4.90

$11.67 MX$202

-40.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.65 JOD 34.50

$41.88 MX$726

16.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 JOD 4.85

$10.40 MX$180

-34.23%

Cappuccino

$4.15 JOD 2.94

$3.61 MX$62.6

14.96%

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

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.47 MX$25.45

-65.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 JOD 0.27

$0.91 MX$15.80

-59.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.49 JOD 3.89

$3.03 MX$52.6

81.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 JOD 4.92

$4.47 MX$77.4

55.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 JOD 1.04

$1.38 MX$23.83

6.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 JOD 0.38

$1.84 MX$31.93

-70.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 JOD 1.20

$1.61 MX$27.82

5.59%

Eggs

$2.49 JOD 1.76

$2.57 MX$44.52

-3.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.60 JOD 4.68

$8.49 MX$147

-22.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 JOD 4.70

$8.49 MX$147

-21.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.39 JOD 8.07

$10.99 MX$190

3.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 JOD 1.46

$2.73 MX$47.25

-24.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 JOD 1.25

$1.50 MX$25.92

17.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 JOD 1.04

$1.96 MX$33.93

-25.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 JOD 0.54

$2.12 MX$36.70

-64.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 JOD 0.67

$1.86 MX$32.30

-49.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 JOD 0.53

$2.17 MX$37.67

-65.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 JOD 0.46

$1.07 MX$18.59

-40.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 JOD 0.41

$1.05 MX$18.18

-44.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 JOD 2.53

$4.19 MX$72.6

-15.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.53 JOD 15.26

$10.28 MX$178

109.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.77 JOD 3.38

$1.67 MX$28.87

185.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 JOD 3.78

$2.49 MX$43.12

114.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 JOD 0.48

$3.10 MX$53.8

-78.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$2.46 MX$42.66

-43.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 JOD 4.98

$3.24 MX$56.1

116.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 JOD 1.03

$1.26 MX$21.83

15.87%

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

$27.5K JOD 19.5K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-8.80%

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

$32.1K JOD 22.8K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

37.12%

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

$104 JOD 73.9

$84.0 MX$1,456

24.09%

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

$17.22 JOD 12.21

$22.21 MX$385

-22.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.89 JOD 22.61

$29.65 MX$514

7.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 JOD 8.06

$4.95 MX$85.7

129.70%

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

$274 JOD 194

$198 MX$3,438

38.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,338 JOD 3,784

$5,322 MX$92.2K

0.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 JOD 44.26

$35.95 MX$623

73.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 JOD 40.27

$40.06 MX$694

41.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 JOD 81.8

$78.8 MX$1,365

46.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 JOD 57.2

$86.5 MX$1,499

-6.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.27

11.42

-36.34%

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

Last update for Ma'an: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Ma'an versus $977 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49 in Ma'an versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Ma'an vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – so Ma'an 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

Ma'an vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $757 in Ma'an, $1,261 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 67% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,135 per month in Ma'an and $1,891 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Ma'an and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ma'an, where all-in costs run around $757, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Ma'an 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 $757 in Ma'an to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ma'an. 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.