Cost of Living Comparison Between Montego Bay and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Montego Bay and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,295 per month in Montego Bay vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,753 per month in Montego Bay vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,210 per month in Montego Bay vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Montego Bay costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Montego Bay and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Montego Bay 3% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 JMD 1,188

$11.72 MX$203

-35.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 JMD 7,898

$41.89 MX$725

19.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 JMD 1,215

$10.51 MX$182

-26.55%

Cappuccino

$4.31 JMD 678

$3.59 MX$62.0

20.06%

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

$1.32 JMD 209

$1.51 MX$26.10

-12.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 120

$0.92 MX$15.83

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 JMD 388

$2.96 MX$51.2

-16.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 JMD 484

$4.41 MX$76.3

-30.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 JMD 390

$1.40 MX$24.16

76.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 JMD 444

$1.88 MX$32.60

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 JMD 252

$1.56 MX$26.97

2.56%

Eggs

$3.46 JMD 544

$2.61 MX$45.14

32.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 JMD 1,752

$8.32 MX$144

33.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 JMD 1,017

$8.35 MX$145

-22.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 JMD 1,211

$10.86 MX$188

-29.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 JMD 528

$2.71 MX$46.93

23.62%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 495

$1.51 MX$26.04

107.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 JMD 431

$1.87 MX$32.41

46.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 JMD 281

$2.19 MX$37.89

-18.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 JMD 321

$1.86 MX$32.14

9.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 JMD 177

$2.23 MX$38.59

-49.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 JMD 290

$1.07 MX$18.48

71.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 JMD 147

$1.09 MX$18.79

-14.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.80 JMD 1,386

$4.19 MX$72.4

110.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 JMD 1,758

$10.43 MX$180

7.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 JMD 334

$1.66 MX$28.68

27.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 JMD 496

$2.61 MX$45.19

20.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 JMD 145

$0.54 MX$9.37

70.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 JMD 152

$3.08 MX$53.3

-68.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 JMD 512

$2.40 MX$41.61

35.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 JMD 966

$3.13 MX$54.1

95.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 JMD 194

$1.31 MX$22.69

-6.11%

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

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

42.16%

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

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

41.44%

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

$164 JMD 25.8K

$81.3 MX$1,406

101.43%

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

$21.61 JMD 3,404

$22.56 MX$390

-4.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.06 JMD 7,569

$30.05 MX$520

59.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.26 JMD 5,869

$52.9 MX$915

-29.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 JMD 1,192

$4.92 MX$85.1

53.86%

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

$62.7 JMD 9,870

$201 MX$3,474

-68.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,854 JMD 292.0K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-64.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.57 JMD 4,185

$35.92 MX$622

-26.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.57 JMD 3,083

$40.13 MX$694

-51.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 JMD 10.5K

$79.7 MX$1,379

-16.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 JMD 12.0K

$86.5 MX$1,496

-12.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 JMD 41.7K

$978 MX$16.9K

-72.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 JMD 70.6K

$470 MX$8,140

-4.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 JMD 104.3K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-59.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 JMD 70.3K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-62.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 JMD 87.0K

$677 MX$11.7K

-18.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-29.95%

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

Last update for Montego Bay: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $265 in Montego Bay versus $978 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 22% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Montego Bay versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $252 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Montego Bay costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,943 per month in Montego Bay and $1,890 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Montego Bay 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 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Montego Bay at $1,295. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montego Bay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,260 versus $1,295 in Montego Bay. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.