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: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $668 in Jambi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,041 in Jambi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,414 in Jambi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 89% more expensive than Jambi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Jambi 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$1.67 Rp 28.7K

598.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$18.52 Rp 318.3K

126.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$3.32 Rp 57.1K

213.25%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$1.41 Rp 24.2K

156.03%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$1.26 Rp 21.7K

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.23 Rp 3,954

295.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.53 Rp 43.5K

19.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$2.48 Rp 42.7K

80.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

14.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.17 Rp 20.1K

57.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$0.89 Rp 15.3K

80.90%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$1.54 Rp 26.5K

66.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$7.94 Rp 136.4K

6.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$3.13 Rp 53.8K

171.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$7.73 Rp 132.8K

42.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$2.41 Rp 41.5K

13.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.50 Rp 25.7K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.85 Rp 31.8K

5.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.57 Rp 26.9K

35.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.39 Rp 23.9K

33.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.89 Rp 32.5K

14.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.97 Rp 16.7K

10.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.45 Rp 7,673

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$2.56 Rp 44.0K

63.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$23.65 Rp 406.4K

-56.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$2.09 Rp 35.9K

-20.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$3.10 Rp 53.3K

-19.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.32 Rp 5,582

68.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$10.03 Rp 172.3K

161.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.54 Rp 9,242

474.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.35 Rp 5,941

602.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$2.85 Rp 49.0K

13.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.83 Rp 14.2K

51.81%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$25.0K Rp 429.7M

20.66%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$27.2K Rp 466.6M

-13.65%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$69.8 Rp 1.2M

20.42%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$4.39 Rp 75.4K

405.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$22.54 Rp 387.4K

31.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$17.21 Rp 295.7K

205.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$6.27 Rp 107.8K

192.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$2.79 Rp 47.9K

77.42%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$93.9 Rp 1.6M

111.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$7,452 Rp 128.1M

-28.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$42.00 Rp 721.7K

-14.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$30.46 Rp 523.5K

31.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$67.5 Rp 1.2M

16.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$73.6 Rp 1.3M

17.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$257 Rp 4.4M

279.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$159 Rp 2.7M

196.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$587 Rp 10.1M

171.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$334 Rp 5.7M

263.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$1,200 Rp 20.6M

236.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$837 Rp 14.4M

686.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$217 Rp 3.7M

229.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.15

24.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Jambi: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $257 in Jambi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 230% 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: $42 in Playa del Carmen vs $19 in Jambi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $214 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 89% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $668 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 230% more on average, 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: $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $257 in Jambi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $668 in Jambi – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jambi runs roughly 162% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $668 in Jambi versus $1,261 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 89% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.