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: $922 in Ocho Rios versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,938 in Ocho Rios versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,954 in Ocho Rios versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ocho Rios costs roughly 27% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ocho Rios 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 JMD 1,203

$11.87 MX$204

-35.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.6 JMD 9,851

$42.90 MX$736

46.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 JMD 958

$10.65 MX$183

-42.82%

Cappuccino

$2.68 JMD 421

$3.45 MX$59.2

-22.32%

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

$1.32 JMD 208

$1.50 MX$25.81

-12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 JMD 112

$0.95 MX$16.28

-25.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 JMD 337

$3.03 MX$51.9

-29.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 JMD 505

$4.61 MX$79.1

-30.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.91 JMD 615

$1.38 MX$23.61

183.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 JMD 431

$1.85 MX$31.70

48.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JMD 247

$1.61 MX$27.65

-2.48%

Eggs

$3.55 JMD 559

$2.59 MX$44.51

37.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 JMD 1,045

$8.26 MX$142

-19.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 JMD 1,004

$8.37 MX$144

-23.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 JMD 1,196

$10.66 MX$183

-28.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 JMD 920

$2.63 MX$45.12

122.43%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 JMD 480

$1.49 MX$25.53

104.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 JMD 652

$1.92 MX$32.94

115.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 JMD 354

$2.09 MX$35.81

7.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 JMD 331

$1.86 MX$31.88

12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 JMD 308

$2.26 MX$38.81

-13.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 JMD 317

$1.06 MX$18.23

89.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 JMD 172

$1.09 MX$18.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.68 JMD 1,364

$4.15 MX$71.2

109.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.23 JMD 1,451

$10.39 MX$178

-11.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 JMD 366

$1.72 MX$29.59

35.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 JMD 475

$2.61 MX$44.85

15.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 JMD 253

$0.54 MX$9.30

198.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 JMD 101

$3.13 MX$53.7

-79.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 JMD 148

$2.51 MX$43.09

-62.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 JMD 972

$3.15 MX$54.1

96.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 JMD 201

$1.27 MX$21.88

0.79%

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

$43.0K JMD 6.8M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

41.64%

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

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

45.15%

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

$106 JMD 16.7K

$83.0 MX$1,425

27.87%

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

$21.86 JMD 3,438

$22.71 MX$390

-3.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.28 JMD 6,177

$29.46 MX$506

33.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.78 JMD 2,482

$51.0 MX$875

-69.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.75 JMD 904

$18.33 MX$315

-68.63%

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 JMD 1,781

$4.93 MX$84.5

129.82%

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

$229 JMD 36.0K

$197 MX$3,386

16.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,477 JMD 389.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-53.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.92 JMD 2,504

$36.90 MX$633

-56.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.27 JMD 1,930

$39.89 MX$685

-69.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.98 JMD 7,860

$80.0 MX$1,373

-37.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.4 JMD 9,805

$89.5 MX$1,536

-30.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 JMD 58.7K

$956 MX$16.4K

-60.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 JMD 29.9K

$477 MX$8,189

-60.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 JMD 191.8K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-25.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 JMD 192.4K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-0.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-56.22%

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

Last update for Ocho Rios: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $373 in Ocho Rios and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Ocho Rios vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 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

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 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,382 in Ocho Rios 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: $373 in Ocho Rios versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $229 in Ocho Rios 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 Ocho Rios – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $922 in Ocho Rios versus $1,271 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 38% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.