Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Irbid

For one person, living is cheaper in Irbid: $769 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Irbid, Jordan
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Irbid
🇯🇴 Jordan
$769
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Irbid

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Irbid actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $769 in Irbid, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Irbid $769

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,226 in Irbid, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Irbid $1,226

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,683 in Irbid, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Irbid $1,683

Playa del Carmen costs about 57% more than Irbid, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Irbid are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Irbid 43% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Irbid
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$204
$4.25 JOD 3.01
156.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$810
$41.82 JOD 29.60
3.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$220
$6.94 JOD 4.91
69.74%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.2
$1.45 JOD 1.03
162.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.96
$0.46 JOD 0.32
178.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.63
$0.34 JOD 0.24
129.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.2
$6.48 JOD 4.58
-51.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.2
$5.94 JOD 4.21
-17.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Irbid
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.28
$1.18 JOD 0.84
19.49%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.43
$0.45 JOD 0.32
393.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.48
$1.55 JOD 1.09
-8.39%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.14
$1.82 JOD 1.29
38.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
$7.97 JOD 5.64
-8.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
$4.56 JOD 3.23
68.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$237
$12.81 JOD 9.07
-0.94%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.0
$1.38 JOD 0.98
101.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.56
$1.51 JOD 1.07
-9.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.66
$1.04 JOD 0.74
145.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.67
$0.62 JOD 0.44
241.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.22
$0.88 JOD 0.62
120.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.24
$0.84 JOD 0.60
125.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.42
$0.63 JOD 0.45
82.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.03
$0.65 JOD 0.46
81.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.3
$3.55 JOD 2.51
21.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$186
$7.01 JOD 4.96
41.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.59
$2.75 JOD 1.95
-42.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.91
$4.27 JOD 3.02
-37.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Irbid
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.34
$0.68 JOD 0.48
-19.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$497
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.9
$0.48 JOD 0.34
935.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.2
$1.43 JOD 1.01
132.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$100
$6.95 JOD 4.92
-22.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.98
$1.69 JOD 1.20
-14.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$386.2K
$26.9K JOD 19.0K
-23.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$438.5K
$31.4K JOD 22.2K
-25.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Irbid
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,584
$96.6 JOD 68.3
-12.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$437
$15.44 JOD 10.93
51.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$535
$31.36 JOD 22.19
-8.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Irbid
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,066
$34.59 JOD 24.48
64.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$540
$21.08 JOD 14.92
37.14%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.0
$10.03 JOD 7.10
-48.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Irbid
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,860
$94.2 JOD 66.6
119.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.4K
$4,011 JOD 2,839
-2.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Irbid
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$810
$44.97 JOD 31.83
-3.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$774
$28.33 JOD 20.05
46.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,386
$80.4 JOD 56.9
-7.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,668
$49.64 JOD 35.13
79.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Irbid
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.3K
$218 JOD 154
348.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,116
$161 JOD 114
137.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.9K
$385 JOD 272
343.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.1K
$302 JOD 214
255.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.7K
$522 JOD 369
656.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.1K
$507 JOD 359
1114.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Irbid
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
$552 JOD 391
32.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
6.94
64.99%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Irbid: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Irbid
$161 57.8% $220
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Irbid
$189 25.8% $66
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Irbid
$120 40.8% $83
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Irbid
$143 4.8% $6.5
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Irbid
$92 18.1% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Irbid
$55 18.8% $13
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Irbid
$10 * 79.5% $40

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $218 in Irbid. 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 33% 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $42 in Irbid. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $189 – making Irbid the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇯🇴 Irbid
🕒 Local time
13:04 1:04 PM
21:04 9:04 PM
8 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
292,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JOD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.69 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 20.8 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Jordanian Dinar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.708 JOD (1 JOD = 1.41 USD). 1 EUR = 0.788 JOD (1 JOD = 1.27 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Irbid 11,550 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Irbid

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Irbid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Irbid?
Playa del Carmen costs about 57% more than Irbid, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Irbid?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,154 in Irbid. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Irbid?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Irbid, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $218 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Irbid?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $769 in Irbid. That’s a gap of about 57%.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or in Irbid?
Groceries cost about 35% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Irbid – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or to Irbid?
If budget matters most, go with Irbid. 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.

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