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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $730 in Irbid, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,182 in Irbid, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,633 in Irbid, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 72% more than Irbid, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Irbid are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Irbid 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.31 JOD 3.05

178.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$41.62 JOD 29.47

0.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.26 JOD 5.14

48.07%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.44 JOD 1.02

143.06%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.48 JOD 0.34

202.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.34 JOD 0.24

158.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$4.90 JOD 3.47

-39.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$7.14 JOD 5.05

-36.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.13 JOD 0.80

26.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.43 JOD 0.30

327.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.54 JOD 1.09

1.95%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.82 JOD 1.29

37.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.50 JOD 4.60

27.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.48 JOD 3.88

53.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.42 JOD 8.09

-6.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.39 JOD 0.99

87.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.56 JOD 1.11

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.04 JOD 0.73

88.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.61 JOD 0.43

242.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.87 JOD 0.61

112.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.68 JOD 0.48

219.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.64 JOD 0.46

60.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.63 JOD 0.44

69.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.50 JOD 2.48

17.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.03 JOD 4.98

44.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$3.83 JOD 2.71

-56.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$5.31 JOD 3.76

-52.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.69 JOD 0.49

-26.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.51 JOD 0.36

533.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.37 JOD 0.97

75.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.94 JOD 4.92

-53.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.40 JOD 0.99

-5.71%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$24.7K JOD 17.5K

20.05%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$31.0K JOD 21.9K

-23.58%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$97.5 JOD 69.0

-15.88%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$15.54 JOD 11.01

47.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$30.78 JOD 21.79

-2.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$34.03 JOD 24.09

52.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$18.50 JOD 13.10

0.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$10.09 JOD 7.14

-50.64%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$93.8 JOD 66.4

110.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$4,039 JOD 2,859

32.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$43.77 JOD 30.99

-18.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$21.21 JOD 15.02

90.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$68.1 JOD 48.23

15.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$49.71 JOD 35.19

78.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$211 JOD 149

348.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$141 JOD 99.8

236.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$374 JOD 265

339.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$287 JOD 203

322.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$519 JOD 368

680.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$499 JOD 353

1197.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$565 JOD 400

15.74%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Irbid: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $211 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 16% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.00 in Irbid. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $192 in Irbid – so Irbid 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 Irbid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 72% more than Irbid, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,095 in Irbid. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Irbid, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $730 in Irbid. 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 $93.8 in Irbid. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Irbid, where all-in costs run around $730, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Irbid it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Irbid costs $730 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 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.