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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $666 in Jambi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,040 in Jambi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,413 in Jambi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 91% more expensive than Jambi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Jambi 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$1.66 Rp 30.1K

615.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$18.48 Rp 335.2K

132.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$3.47 Rp 63.0K

206.92%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$1.47 Rp 26.7K

134.69%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$1.26 Rp 22.8K

19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$0.21 Rp 3,795

352.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$2.43 Rp 44.1K

24.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$2.50 Rp 45.3K

84.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$1.19 Rp 21.5K

15.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.14 Rp 20.6K

62.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$0.94 Rp 17.1K

71.28%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$1.57 Rp 28.5K

64.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$7.90 Rp 143.2K

4.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$3.09 Rp 56.0K

170.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$8.11 Rp 147.1K

31.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$2.34 Rp 42.4K

12.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$1.49 Rp 27.0K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$1.80 Rp 32.7K

6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$1.51 Rp 27.4K

38.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$1.37 Rp 24.8K

35.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$1.94 Rp 35.2K

16.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$0.91 Rp 16.6K

16.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$0.42 Rp 7,576

159.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$2.47 Rp 44.9K

68.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$21.84 Rp 396.0K

-52.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$2.10 Rp 38.1K

-18.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$3.07 Rp 55.7K

-14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$0.30 Rp 5,414

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$9.58 Rp 173.7K

181.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$0.53 Rp 9,585

490.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$0.37 Rp 6,760

578.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$2.91 Rp 52.7K

8.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

60.76%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$25.0K Rp 452.9M

21.62%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$27.5K Rp 498.8M

-14.32%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$69.6 Rp 1.3M

19.32%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$4.19 Rp 76.0K

442.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$23.18 Rp 420.4K

27.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$17.22 Rp 312.4K

196.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$6.11 Rp 110.8K

200.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$2.72 Rp 49.3K

81.25%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

107.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$7,698 Rp 139.6M

-31.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$41.73 Rp 756.7K

-11.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$30.43 Rp 551.9K

31.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$67.9 Rp 1.2M

17.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$73.5 Rp 1.3M

21.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$263 Rp 4.8M

263.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$158 Rp 2.9M

202.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$592 Rp 10.7M

177.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$331 Rp 6.0M

269.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$1,178 Rp 21.4M

232.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$636 Rp 11.5M

916.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

$201 Rp 3.6M

232.51%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Jambi: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $263 in Jambi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 233% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $18.00 in Jambi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $209 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 91% in total monthly costs ($1,271 vs $666 including rent). Jambi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 233% 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $263 in Jambi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $666 in Jambi – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jambi runs roughly 181% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $666 in Jambi versus $1,271 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 91% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.