Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Jacksonville, FL Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Jacksonville, FL

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,387 in Jacksonville, FL, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,685 in Jacksonville, FL, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,984 in Jacksonville, FL, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 47% cheaper than Jacksonville, FL, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Jacksonville, FL is 74% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$19.76 $19.76

-41.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$101 $101

-53.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$12.11 $12.11

-1.90%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$5.52 $5.52

-27.90%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.87 $2.87

-50.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.15 $2.15

-61.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$4.87 $4.87

-34.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$6.89 $6.89

-1.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.89 $0.89

88.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.10 $3.10

-29.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.83 $3.83

-55.35%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$4.38 $4.38

-37.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$14.03 $14.03

-31.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.39 $9.39

-4.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$16.19 $16.19

-20.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$4.68 $4.68

-38.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.48 $1.48

1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.89 $3.89

-44.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.68 $4.68

-51.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.83 $2.83

-30.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.94 $2.94

-32.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.50 $2.50

-50.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$2.42 $2.42

-50.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$9.82 $9.82

-53.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$14.52 $14.52

-28.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.07 $2.07

-21.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.13 $3.13

-7.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.92 $1.92

-68.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$62.2 $62.2

-53.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.46 $1.46

269.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.14 $1.14

227.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$14.05 $14.05

-58.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.00 $1.00

54.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$36.7K $36.7K

-38.64%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$25.1K $25.1K

3.82%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$197 $197

-53.64%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$58.9 $58.9

-57.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$67.1 $67.1

-53.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$42.41 $42.41

58.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$6.50 $6.50

347.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$15.11 $15.11

-67.84%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$1,302 $1,302

-82.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$12.1K $12.1K

-64.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$63.2 $63.2

-25.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$47.48 $47.48

-6.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$110 $110

-27.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$153 $153

-39.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,646 $1,646

-35.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$1,109 $1,109

-64.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$2,594 $2,594

-17.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,959 $1,959

-35.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,450 $2,450

63.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$2,085 $2,085

211.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$3,999 $3,999

-81.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.19

84.98%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Jacksonville, FL: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,646 in Jacksonville, FL. 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 427% higher in Jacksonville, FL, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $101 in Jacksonville, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $381 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Jacksonville, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jacksonville, FL costs about 89% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,580 in Jacksonville, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $101 in Jacksonville, FL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $2,387 in Jacksonville, FL. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Jacksonville, FL at $2,387. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jacksonville, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $2,387 in Jacksonville, FL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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