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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $898 in Aqaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,439 in Aqaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,980 in Aqaba, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 43% more than Aqaba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Aqaba are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Aqaba 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.89 JOD 2.05

313.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$48.92 JOD 34.68

-12.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.25 JOD 3.01

149.18%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$4.08 JOD 2.89

-11.27%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.52 JOD 0.37

182.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.35 JOD 0.25

168.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$5.75 JOD 4.08

-46.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$6.94 JOD 4.92

-35.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.44 JOD 1.02

-0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.47 JOD 0.33

300.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.70 JOD 1.21

-4.12%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.66 JOD 1.18

59.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$5.72 JOD 4.06

43.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.14 JOD 2.94

100.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$9.59 JOD 6.80

15.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.37 JOD 0.97

93.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.37 JOD 0.97

9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.04 JOD 0.74

91.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.74 JOD 0.52

181.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.74 JOD 0.52

141.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.70 JOD 0.50

211.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.61 JOD 0.43

77.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.59 JOD 0.42

76.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.48 JOD 2.46

14.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$16.90 JOD 11.98

-39.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.85 JOD 2.02

-39.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.44 JOD 1.73

2.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.48 JOD 0.34

554.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.38 JOD 0.98

73.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$7.12 JOD 5.05

-56.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.41 JOD 1.00

-9.93%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$27.3K JOD 19.4K

12.98%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$31.4K JOD 22.3K

-25.71%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$105 JOD 74.6

-22.06%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$16.98 JOD 12.04

32.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$31.99 JOD 22.68

-7.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$71.5 JOD 50.7

-27.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$11.19 JOD 7.93

-55.59%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$275 JOD 195

-28.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,840 JOD 2,013

85.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$28.70 JOD 20.35

26.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$41.49 JOD 29.42

-3.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$41.75 JOD 29.60

91.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$71.1 JOD 50.4

24.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$313 JOD 222

208.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$259 JOD 184

79.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$739 JOD 524

115.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$496 JOD 352

143.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,137 JOD 806

246.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$554 JOD 393

1063.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$572 JOD 405

26.05%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Aqaba: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $313 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 26% 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 – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $188 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 43%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,347 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $898 in Aqaba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $275 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 $898, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.