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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $870 in Negril versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,358 in Negril versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,846 in Negril versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Negril costs roughly 31% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Negril 35% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 JMD 1,195

$11.95 MX$208

-36.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.34 JMD 7,770

$41.94 MX$731

17.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.00 JMD 1,418

$10.42 MX$182

-13.63%

Cappuccino

$1.97 JMD 310

$3.51 MX$61.3

-43.87%

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

$1.32 JMD 208

$1.52 MX$26.44

-13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 119

$0.91 MX$15.88

-16.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 JMD 388

$3.04 MX$53.0

-19.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 JMD 482

$4.37 MX$76.2

-29.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.40 JMD 693

$1.42 MX$24.78

209.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 JMD 546

$1.83 MX$31.93

89.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 247

$1.63 MX$28.51

-3.68%

Eggs

$3.56 JMD 560

$2.54 MX$44.29

40.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 JMD 1,732

$8.57 MX$149

28.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 JMD 985

$8.49 MX$148

-26.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 JMD 1,229

$10.80 MX$188

-27.69%

Apples (1kg)

$6.07 JMD 956

$2.75 MX$48.04

120.73%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 JMD 495

$1.44 MX$25.05

118.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 JMD 671

$1.89 MX$32.90

125.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 JMD 458

$2.17 MX$37.84

34.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 JMD 317

$1.78 MX$31.03

12.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 JMD 315

$2.22 MX$38.79

-9.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 JMD 483

$1.07 MX$18.64

186.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 JMD 227

$1.08 MX$18.83

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.57 JMD 1,350

$4.15 MX$72.3

106.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.42 JMD 1,799

$10.45 MX$182

9.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 JMD 443

$1.74 MX$30.40

61.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 JMD 485

$2.58 MX$45.01

19.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 JMD 171

$3.21 MX$56.0

-66.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.13 JMD 493

$2.50 MX$43.64

25.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 JMD 979

$3.19 MX$55.6

94.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 JMD 200

$1.26 MX$21.91

0.79%

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

$43.0K JMD 6.8M

$29.7K MX$517.7K

44.80%

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

$33.9K JMD 5.3M

$23.7K MX$413.0K

43.15%

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

$165 JMD 26.0K

$82.0 MX$1,430

101.23%

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

$22.25 JMD 3,505

$22.73 MX$396

-2.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.0 JMD 8,024

$29.42 MX$513

73.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$910

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 JMD 2,057

$4.93 MX$86.0

164.91%

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

$230 JMD 36.2K

$202 MX$3,519

13.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,500 JMD 393.7K

$5,217 MX$91.0K

-52.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.79 JMD 4,061

$35.93 MX$627

-28.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.48 JMD 4,013

$40.33 MX$703

-36.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 JMD 11.4K

$79.9 MX$1,393

-9.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 JMD 11.8K

$89.3 MX$1,557

-16.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 JMD 158.0K

$948 MX$16.5K

5.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,114

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.42

-19.88%

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

Last update for Negril: July 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Negril and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Negril vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $252 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Negril and Playa del Carmen differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($870 vs $1,259 including rent). Negril is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,305 in Negril and $1,888 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Negril versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $230 in Negril versus $202 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Negril – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $870 in Negril versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Negril but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Negril the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Negril gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.