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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $826 per month in Madaba vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,421 per month in Madaba vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,015 per month in Madaba vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Madaba is about 35% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Madaba and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Madaba 39% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.58 JOD 3.95

$11.87 MX$204

-52.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.35 JOD 34.93

$42.90 MX$736

15.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 JOD 4.54

$10.65 MX$183

-39.72%

Cappuccino

$3.50 JOD 2.48

$3.45 MX$59.2

1.45%

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

$0.48 JOD 0.34

$1.50 MX$25.81

-68.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 JOD 0.27

$0.95 MX$16.28

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 JOD 3.08

$3.03 MX$51.9

43.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 JOD 4.84

$4.61 MX$79.1

48.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$1.38 MX$23.61

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 JOD 0.39

$1.85 MX$31.70

-70.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 JOD 1.20

$1.61 MX$27.65

5.59%

Eggs

$1.65 JOD 1.17

$2.59 MX$44.51

-36.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 JOD 3.08

$8.26 MX$142

-47.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 JOD 3.90

$8.37 MX$144

-34.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 JOD 8.05

$10.66 MX$183

6.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 JOD 1.39

$2.63 MX$45.12

-25.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 JOD 1.01

$1.49 MX$25.53

-4.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$1.92 MX$32.94

-27.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$2.09 MX$35.81

-64.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 JOD 0.48

$1.86 MX$31.88

-63.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 JOD 0.49

$2.26 MX$38.81

-69.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 JOD 0.24

$1.06 MX$18.23

-67.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 JOD 0.38

$1.09 MX$18.67

-50.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 JOD 1.53

$4.15 MX$71.2

-47.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.47 JOD 15.19

$10.39 MX$178

106.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.72 JOD 3.34

$1.72 MX$29.59

174.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 JOD 3.80

$2.61 MX$44.85

105.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 JOD 0.63

$0.54 MX$9.30

64.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.6 JOD 49.97

$26.94 MX$462

162.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 JOD 0.53

$3.13 MX$53.7

-76.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$2.51 MX$43.09

-44.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 JOD 4.86

$3.15 MX$54.1

118.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 JOD 0.96

$1.27 MX$21.88

7.09%

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

$27.3K JOD 19.3K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-10.25%

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

$31.9K JOD 22.6K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

35.47%

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

$71.7 JOD 50.7

$83.0 MX$1,425

-13.64%

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

$13.85 JOD 9.80

$22.71 MX$390

-39.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.81 JOD 14.73

$29.46 MX$506

-29.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.71 JOD 20.32

$51.0 MX$875

-43.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$69.7 JOD 49.35

$18.33 MX$315

280.36%

Cinema Ticket

$11.17 JOD 7.91

$4.93 MX$84.5

126.57%

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

$43.13 JOD 30.53

$197 MX$3,386

-78.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,111 JOD 786

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-78.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 JOD 43.59

$36.90 MX$633

66.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.62 JOD 35.12

$39.89 MX$685

24.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.1 JOD 45.37

$80.0 MX$1,373

-19.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.89 JOD 25.41

$89.5 MX$1,536

-59.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$175 JOD 124

$956 MX$16.4K

-81.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 JOD 88.4

$477 MX$8,189

-73.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 JOD 278

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-76.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 JOD 246

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-71.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$487 JOD 345

$667 MX$11.4K

-26.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

11.42

-45.27%

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

Last update for Madaba: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $175 in Madaba versus $956 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 37% 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 $49.00 in Madaba versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Madaba vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Madaba 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 54% more than Madaba, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,239 per month in Madaba and $1,906 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 Madaba, 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 $49.00 in Madaba 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 $826 in Madaba and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Madaba, where all-in costs run around $826, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Madaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Madaba costs $826 versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Madaba. 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.