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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $906 in Aqaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,442 in Aqaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,977 in Aqaba, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 40% more than Aqaba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Aqaba are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Aqaba 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.81 JOD 1.99

322.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$48.81 JOD 34.55

-12.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.11 JOD 2.91

159.12%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.21 JOD 2.98

-18.05%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.49 JOD 0.35

206.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.37 JOD 0.26

156.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$5.51 JOD 3.90

-45.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$6.96 JOD 4.93

-33.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.45 JOD 1.02

-4.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.51 JOD 0.36

262.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.68 JOD 1.19

-4.17%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.74 JOD 1.23

48.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$5.50 JOD 3.89

50.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.35 JOD 3.08

92.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$9.78 JOD 6.92

9.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.39 JOD 0.99

89.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.39 JOD 0.98

7.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.09 JOD 0.77

76.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.74 JOD 0.52

182.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.74 JOD 0.52

151.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.72 JOD 0.51

213.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.65 JOD 0.46

63.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.54 JOD 0.38

101.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.63 JOD 2.57

14.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$17.11 JOD 12.11

-39.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.87 JOD 2.03

-40.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.49 JOD 1.76

4.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.51 JOD 0.36

513.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.42 JOD 1.01

76.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.95 JOD 4.92

-54.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.44 JOD 1.02

-11.81%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$27.2K JOD 19.2K

11.70%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$31.3K JOD 22.1K

-24.63%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$105 JOD 74.5

-21.18%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$16.83 JOD 11.91

34.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$31.75 JOD 22.47

-7.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$70.0 JOD 49.54

-27.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$11.13 JOD 7.87

-55.71%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$271 JOD 192

-27.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,866 JOD 2,028

84.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$27.78 JOD 19.67

32.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$41.98 JOD 29.72

-4.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$43.05 JOD 30.47

85.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$71.9 JOD 50.9

24.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$316 JOD 224

202.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$257 JOD 182

85.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$740 JOD 524

122.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$496 JOD 351

146.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,115 JOD 789

251.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$565 JOD 400

1042.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$554 JOD 392

20.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.27

57.08%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Aqaba: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $316 in Aqaba. 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 20% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.00 in Aqaba. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $191 in Aqaba – so Aqaba wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,359 in Aqaba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aqaba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $906 in Aqaba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $271 in Aqaba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aqaba, where all-in costs run around $906, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Aqaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aqaba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aqaba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.