Cost of Living Comparison Between Ocho Rios and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ocho Rios and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,090 in Ocho Rios versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,561 in Ocho Rios versus $2,336 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,033 in Ocho Rios versus $3,341 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ocho Rios costs roughly 18% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ocho Rios 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.43 JMD 1,487

$13.02 MX$221

-27.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.1 JMD 9,950

$46.25 MX$784

36.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 JMD 1,101

$12.59 MX$213

-44.56%

Cappuccino

$3.22 JMD 509

$4.00 MX$67.9

-19.50%

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

$1.23 JMD 194

$1.42 MX$24.08

-13.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 JMD 113

$0.81 MX$13.73

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 JMD 358

$3.05 MX$51.7

-25.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 JMD 471

$6.82 MX$116

-56.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.86 JMD 609

$1.71 MX$29.04

125.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 JMD 435

$2.22 MX$37.62

23.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 248

$1.72 MX$29.13

-8.72%

Eggs

$3.64 JMD 574

$2.71 MX$45.99

34.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.61 JMD 1,831

$9.37 MX$159

23.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 JMD 1,010

$8.86 MX$150

-27.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 JMD 1,631

$12.78 MX$217

-19.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 JMD 937

$3.13 MX$53.0

89.78%

Banana (1kg)

$3.18 JMD 502

$1.55 MX$26.24

105.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.29 JMD 993

$2.15 MX$36.51

192.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 JMD 403

$2.35 MX$39.89

8.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 JMD 528

$2.02 MX$34.23

65.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 JMD 402

$1.99 MX$33.67

28.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 JMD 443

$1.24 MX$21.09

126.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 JMD 219

$1.19 MX$20.21

16.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.77 JMD 1,384

$4.65 MX$78.8

88.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.43 JMD 1,487

$10.47 MX$177

-9.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 JMD 457

$1.58 MX$26.82

82.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 JMD 641

$2.92 MX$49.48

39.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 JMD 144

$0.56 MX$9.53

64.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 JMD 185

$5.32 MX$90.2

-78.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.24 JMD 511

$3.72 MX$63.0

-12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 JMD 985

$5.78 MX$97.9

7.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JMD 219

$1.55 MX$26.27

-10.32%

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

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

$22.4K MX$379.1K

89.74%

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

$32.3K JMD 5.1M

$25.6K MX$433.3K

26.35%

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

$173 JMD 27.2K

$89.3 MX$1,513

93.21%

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

$19.86 JMD 3,134

$23.30 MX$395

-14.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.2 JMD 8,397

$31.72 MX$538

67.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$11.35 JMD 1,791

$5.06 MX$85.7

124.31%

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

$355 JMD 56.0K

$222 MX$3,765

59.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,244 JMD 1.3M

$4,293 MX$72.7K

92.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.95 JMD 3,780

$46.21 MX$783

-48.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.99 JMD 4,889

$44.43 MX$753

-30.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 JMD 12.2K

$95.5 MX$1,618

-19.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 JMD 16.2K

$92.5 MX$1,568

11.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 JMD 59.8K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-64.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 JMD 30.3K

$393 MX$6,663

-51.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.45

11.6

-18.53%

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

Last update for Ocho Rios: August 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $379 in Ocho Rios and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Ocho Rios vs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $277 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

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

Ocho Rios is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,635 in Ocho Rios and $1,995 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: $379 in Ocho Rios versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $355 in Ocho Rios versus $222 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 Ocho Rios – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,090 in Ocho Rios versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ocho Rios but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ocho Rios the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ocho Rios is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Ocho Rios gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.