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: $859 in Negril versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,358 in Negril versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,856 in Negril versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Negril costs roughly 32% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Negril 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 JMD 1,173

$11.87 MX$207

-37.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 JMD 7,882

$42.90 MX$749

16.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 JMD 1,347

$10.65 MX$186

-19.62%

Cappuccino

$2.06 JMD 323

$3.45 MX$60.2

-40.29%

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

$1.32 JMD 208

$1.50 MX$26.24

-12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 JMD 119

$0.95 MX$16.56

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 JMD 389

$3.03 MX$52.8

-18.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 JMD 487

$4.61 MX$80.4

-32.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.21 JMD 662

$1.38 MX$24.01

205.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 JMD 549

$1.85 MX$32.24

88.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 248

$1.61 MX$28.11

-2.48%

Eggs

$3.41 JMD 536

$2.59 MX$45.26

31.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.85 JMD 1,707

$8.26 MX$144

31.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 JMD 989

$8.37 MX$146

-24.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 JMD 1,206

$10.66 MX$186

-28.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 JMD 942

$2.63 MX$45.89

127.76%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 JMD 476

$1.49 MX$25.96

103.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 JMD 675

$1.92 MX$33.50

123.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.93 JMD 461

$2.09 MX$36.41

40.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 JMD 327

$1.86 MX$32.42

11.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 JMD 307

$2.26 MX$39.47

-13.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 JMD 484

$1.06 MX$18.54

189.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 JMD 234

$1.09 MX$18.98

36.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.03 JMD 1,420

$4.15 MX$72.4

117.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 JMD 1,823

$10.39 MX$181

11.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 JMD 439

$1.72 MX$30.09

62.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 JMD 504

$2.61 MX$45.60

22.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 JMD 171

$3.13 MX$54.6

-65.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.24 JMD 510

$2.51 MX$43.82

29.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 JMD 967

$3.15 MX$55.0

95.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 201

$1.27 MX$22.25

0.79%

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

$42.9K JMD 6.7M

$30.4K MX$530.1K

41.22%

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

$34.1K JMD 5.4M

$23.6K MX$411.3K

44.85%

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

$164 JMD 25.8K

$83.0 MX$1,449

97.28%

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

$22.38 JMD 3,520

$22.71 MX$396

-1.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 JMD 8,121

$29.46 MX$514

75.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$13.20 JMD 2,076

$4.93 MX$86.0

167.75%

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

$230 JMD 36.2K

$197 MX$3,444

16.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,528 JMD 397.6K

$5,280 MX$92.1K

-52.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.42 JMD 4,156

$36.90 MX$644

-28.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.97 JMD 4,085

$39.89 MX$696

-34.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 JMD 11.1K

$80.0 MX$1,396

-11.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.4 JMD 12.2K

$89.5 MX$1,561

-13.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$984 JMD 154.7K

$956 MX$16.7K

2.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $984 in Negril and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $50.0 in Negril vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $250 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 48% in total monthly costs ($859 vs $1,271 including rent). Negril is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,289 in Negril and $1,906 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: $984 in Negril versus $956 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 $197 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 $50.0 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $859 in Negril versus $1,271 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 48% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.