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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $640 in Jambi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $994 in Jambi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,347 in Jambi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 98% more expensive than in Jambi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Jambi 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$1.53 Rp 27.1K

658.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$12.52 Rp 221.7K

276.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.03 Rp 53.7K

292.08%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.31 Rp 23.2K

203.82%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.42 Rp 7,415

240.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.23 Rp 4,008

256.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.79 Rp 49.4K

14.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.45 Rp 61.1K

96.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

51.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

94.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$0.83 Rp 14.7K

106.02%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.43 Rp 25.3K

91.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.60 Rp 116.9K

45.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.12 Rp 55.2K

188.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.94 Rp 140.6K

61.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

29.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.29 Rp 22.8K

16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.71 Rp 30.2K

25.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.24 Rp 22.0K

82.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.35 Rp 23.8K

46.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.03 Rp 35.9K

-1.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.68 Rp 12.1K

80.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.41 Rp 7,256

192.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.74 Rp 48.5K

66.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$20.96 Rp 371.2K

-50.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.95 Rp 34.5K

-16.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.07 Rp 54.4K

-6.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.28 Rp 5,028

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.50 Rp 8,791

978.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.31 Rp 5,535

1103.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$3.33 Rp 59.0K

73.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

100.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$20.8K Rp 368.9M

8.22%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$31.4K Rp 555.2M

-16.90%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$65.0 Rp 1.2M

40.65%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$4.52 Rp 80.1K

457.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$20.48 Rp 362.6K

52.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$15.66 Rp 277.4K

329.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$9.34 Rp 165.4K

211.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$2.78 Rp 49.3K

74.82%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$94.8 Rp 1.7M

136.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$8,085 Rp 143.2M

-47.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$50.6 Rp 895.1K

-6.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$27.74 Rp 491.2K

59.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$83.2 Rp 1.5M

-3.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

18.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$259 Rp 4.6M

309.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$140 Rp 2.5M

177.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$641 Rp 11.3M

235.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$420 Rp 7.4M

203.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,042 Rp 18.5M

283.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$761 Rp 13.5M

754.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$210 Rp 3.7M

261.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

9.46

21.04%

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 Jambi: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $259 in Jambi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 261% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $13.00 in Jambi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $196 per month, with Jambi cheaper across the board.

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 Jambi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Jambi differ by about 98% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $640 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 261% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $259 in Jambi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $640 in Jambi – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $640 in Jambi versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jambi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Jambi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Jambi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.