😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,254 in Jamestown, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,736 in Jamestown, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,218 in Jamestown, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 3% more than Jamestown, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Jamestown are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Jamestown6% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Jamestown
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$16.07SHP 11.91
-25.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$48.49SHP 35.93
-11.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$8.89SHP 6.59
19.12%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$2.98SHP 2.21
21.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$1.14SHP 0.84
28.95%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$1.21SHP 0.89
-22.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$4.69SHP 3.48
-34.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$2.64SHP 1.95
68.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Jamestown
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.89SHP 1.40
-24.34%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$1.64SHP 1.22
14.63%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.39SHP 1.03
17.27%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$4.32SHP 3.20
-38.89%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$8.07SHP 5.98
1.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$10.80SHP 8.00
-23.24%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$10.79SHP 8.00
2.87%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
-
-
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
-
-
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
-
-
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
-
-
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
-
-
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
-
-
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$2.78SHP 2.06
-61.15%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$2.25SHP 1.67
-53.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$11.03SHP 8.17
-64.01%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Jamestown
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$40.62SHP 30.10
-33.60%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$2.79SHP 2.07
12.54%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Jamestown
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
-
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$109SHP 80.8
-72.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Jamestown
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$6.90SHP 5.11
651.74%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Jamestown
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Jamestown
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$41.55SHP 30.79
-12.54%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$20.61SHP 15.28
94.32%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$46.98SHP 34.81
70.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Jamestown
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$676SHP 501
42.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$623SHP 461
-25.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$700SHP 519
127.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$718SHP 532
68.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Jamestown
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
6.2
84.19%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Jamestown: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $676 in Jamestown. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Jamestown. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $207 in Jamestown – so Jamestown wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Jamestown: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Jamestown cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,881 in Jamestown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jamestown, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 51% less in Jamestown. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Jamestown?
Groceries cost about 21% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Jamestown?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jamestown, where all-in costs run around $1,254, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Jamestown it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Jamestown more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Jamestown – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Jamestown?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Jamestown. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado