Comparación del coste de vida entre Montego Bay y Playa del Carmen Comparación del coste de vida entre Montego Bay y Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A couple spends around $1,759 per month in Montego Bay vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,231 per month in Montego Bay vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Montego Bay and Playa del Carmen have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Montego Bay
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.69 JMD 1,208
$11.94 MX$209
-35.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.9 JMD 7,988
$42.75 MX$748
18.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.30 JMD 1,147
$10.59 MX$185
-31.07%
Cappuccino
$4.38 JMD 688
$3.62 MX$63.4
20.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 JMD 216
$1.47 MX$25.69
-6.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 JMD 112
$0.94 MX$16.51
-24.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.48 JMD 389
$3.09 MX$54.1
-19.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 JMD 484
$4.46 MX$78.0
-30.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montego Bay
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Milk (1 liter)
$2.52 JMD 396
$1.43 MX$24.94
76.22%
White Bread (500g)
$2.68 JMD 421
$1.88 MX$32.97
42.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 JMD 246
$1.63 MX$28.50
-3.68%
Eggs
$3.60 JMD 565
$2.64 MX$46.26
36.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.03 JMD 1,732
$8.21 MX$144
34.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.43 JMD 1,010
$8.29 MX$145
-22.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.77 JMD 1,220
$11.10 MX$194
-30.00%
Apples (1kg)
$3.37 JMD 529
$2.65 MX$46.40
27.17%
Banana (1kg)
$3.09 JMD 486
$1.50 MX$26.26
106.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.84 JMD 445
$1.99 MX$34.79
42.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.76 JMD 277
$2.08 MX$36.33
-15.38%
Potato (1kg)
$2.12 JMD 333
$1.79 MX$31.29
18.44%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 JMD 177
$2.18 MX$38.09
-48.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.91 JMD 300
$1.08 MX$18.84
76.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.93 JMD 146
$1.04 MX$18.15
-10.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.61 JMD 1,352
$3.97 MX$69.5
116.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.46 JMD 1,800
$10.20 MX$179
12.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.11 JMD 331
$1.73 MX$30.22
21.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 JMD 481
$2.50 MX$43.71
22.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Montego Bay
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 JMD 146
$0.52 MX$9.07
78.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.97 MX$472
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.93 JMD 146
$3.14 MX$55.0
-70.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.22 JMD 505
$2.40 MX$42.04
34.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.37 JMD 1,001
$3.09 MX$54.0
106.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 JMD 195
$1.27 MX$22.28
-2.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.3K JMD 6.6M
$30.9K MX$540.4K
36.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K JMD 5.4M
$23.3K MX$408.0K
46.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montego Bay
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$163 JMD 25.6K
$82.0 MX$1,435
98.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.26 JMD 3,339
$22.45 MX$393
-5.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.70 JMD 7,491
$29.66 MX$519
60.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montego Bay
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.35 JMD 5,866
$51.9 MX$908
-27.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.67 MX$327
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.54 JMD 1,185
$4.97 MX$87.0
51.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montego Bay
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$62.6 JMD 9,827
$198 MX$3,462
-68.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,882 JMD 295.6K
$5,273 MX$92.3K
-64.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montego Bay
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.12 JMD 4,102
$36.34 MX$636
-28.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$20.10 JMD 3,157
$40.05 MX$701
-49.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$66.2 JMD 10.4K
$79.9 MX$1,398
-17.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.8 JMD 11.9K
$88.9 MX$1,555
-14.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montego Bay
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$257 JMD 40.3K
$963 MX$16.9K
-73.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$461 JMD 72.4K
$465 MX$8,133
-0.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$669 JMD 105.0K
$1,596 MX$27.9K
-58.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$431 JMD 67.7K
$1,209 MX$21.2K
-64.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,942 MX$69.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,448 MX$112.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montego Bay
Playa del Carmen
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$562 JMD 88.3K
$720 MX$12.6K
-21.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8
11.42
-29.95%

Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.

Última actualización para Montego Bay: April 25, 2026

Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $257 in Montego Bay 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 28% higher in Playa del Carmen. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Montego Bay versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $251 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)

El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Montego Bay vs Playa del Carmen: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Montego Bay vs Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,931 per month in Montego Bay and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Montego Bay or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Are groceries more expensive in Montego Bay or Playa del Carmen?
Groceries cost about 13% more in Montego Bay, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How do dining costs compare in Montego Bay vs Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Montego Bay and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Montego Bay or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Montego Bay at $1,287. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montego Bay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Montego Bay or Playa del Carmen?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,287 versus $1,287 in Montego Bay. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Montego Bay or Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montego Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Montego Bay vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado

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