Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Az-zarqa' Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Az-zarqa'

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $687 in Az-zarqa', rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,066 in Az-zarqa', rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,445 in Az-zarqa', rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 87% more than Az-zarqa', driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Az-zarqa' are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Az-zarqa' 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$4.33 JOD 3.07

175.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$25.20 JOD 17.87

69.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$5.68 JOD 4.03

86.44%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$0.78 JOD 0.56

364.10%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.43 JOD 0.30

241.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.33 JOD 0.24

184.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$4.30 JOD 3.05

-28.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$6.97 JOD 4.94

-36.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.37 JOD 0.97

4.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.52 JOD 0.37

261.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.70 JOD 1.20

-4.12%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.81 JOD 1.29

45.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.53 JOD 4.63

25.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.28 JOD 3.04

93.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$9.42 JOD 6.68

17.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.57 JOD 1.11

68.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.39 JOD 0.99

7.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.04 JOD 0.73

91.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.73 JOD 0.52

184.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.74 JOD 0.53

141.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.68 JOD 0.48

220.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.52 JOD 0.37

107.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.50 JOD 0.36

108.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.43 JOD 2.43

15.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.02 JOD 4.98

45.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$4.32 JOD 3.06

-59.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$4.17 JOD 2.95

-40.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.61 JOD 0.43

-14.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$21.01 JOD 14.89

28.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.68 JOD 0.48

361.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.91 JOD 0.64

163.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.86 JOD 3.44

-36.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.37 JOD 0.97

-7.30%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$27.1K JOD 19.2K

13.96%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$27.6K JOD 19.6K

-15.66%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$98.5 JOD 69.9

-16.77%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$13.16 JOD 9.33

70.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$23.40 JOD 16.59

26.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$29.58 JOD 20.97

75.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$9.26 JOD 6.56

101.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$9.58 JOD 6.79

-48.12%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$81.9 JOD 58.1

141.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,834 JOD 2,010

86.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$22.03 JOD 15.62

64.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$25.96 JOD 18.41

54.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$44.14 JOD 31.30

80.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$57.1 JOD 40.49

55.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$164 JOD 116

488.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$123 JOD 87.3

277.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$273 JOD 193

485.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$234 JOD 166

417.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$563 JOD 399

600.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$357 JOD 253

1705.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$509 JOD 361

41.47%

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 Az-zarqa': April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $164 in Az-zarqa'. 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 41% 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 $25.00 in Az-zarqa'. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $182 – making Az-zarqa' the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Az-zarqa': Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $687 in Az-zarqa' – roughly 87% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,031 in Az-zarqa'. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 28% less in Az-zarqa'. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $81.9 in Az-zarqa'. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Az-zarqa', where all-in costs run around $687, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Az-zarqa' it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $687 in Az-zarqa' to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Az-zarqa'. 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.