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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,245 in Jamestown, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,731 in Jamestown, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,217 in Jamestown, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 4% more than Jamestown, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Jamestown are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Jamestown 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$16.06 SHP 11.95

-26.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$48.07 SHP 35.79

-13.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$8.71 SHP 6.49

19.52%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$3.12 SHP 2.33

15.71%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$1.14 SHP 0.85

28.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$1.19 SHP 0.89

-18.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$4.87 SHP 3.63

-40.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.70 SHP 2.01

71.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.82 SHP 1.36

-21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.58 SHP 1.18

20.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.33 SHP 0.99

18.05%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$4.33 SHP 3.22

-39.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$8.24 SHP 6.13

2.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$11.05 SHP 8.23

-22.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$10.86 SHP 8.08

1.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.76 SHP 2.05

-60.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$2.18 SHP 1.62

-50.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$10.98 SHP 8.17

-62.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$40.19 SHP 29.92

-34.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$2.79 SHP 2.08

14.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

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

$22.41 MX$386

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$108 SHP 80.3

-72.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$6.69 SHP 4.98

670.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

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

$202 MX$3,471

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$41.07 SHP 30.58

-13.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$20.47 SHP 15.24

97.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$47.43 SHP 35.31

65.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$669 SHP 498

41.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$600 SHP 446

-20.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$708 SHP 527

128.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$711 SHP 529

71.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.2

84.19%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Jamestown: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $669 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Jamestown. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Playa del Carmen vs $206 in Jamestown – so Jamestown wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Jamestown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,868 in Jamestown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Public transport costs about 53% less in Jamestown. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 23% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jamestown, where all-in costs run around $1,245, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Jamestown it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.

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.