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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $717 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,218 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,718 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 76% more than Jarabacoa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Jarabacoa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Jarabacoa 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$8.56 DOP 516

36.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$51.9 DOP 3,126

-19.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$7.57 DOP 456

37.38%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.65 DOP 160

36.23%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$1.00 DOP 60.1

47.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.84 DOP 50.4

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.49 DOP 150

21.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$5.04 DOP 304

-11.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.39 DOP 83.7

-0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.81 DOP 109

1.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.49 DOP 89.7

8.05%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.20 DOP 133

16.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$7.04 DOP 424

20.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$6.43 DOP 387

32.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$11.11 DOP 669

-1.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$3.22 DOP 194

-15.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$0.92 DOP 55.6

63.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$2.89 DOP 174

-32.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.92 DOP 115

10.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$2.55 DOP 153

-27.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$2.32 DOP 140

-6.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.13 DOP 67.8

-5.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.98 DOP 58.7

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$5.67 DOP 341

-26.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$11.51 DOP 693

-10.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$2.70 DOP 163

-38.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$3.13 DOP 188

-20.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$3.39 DOP 204

-8.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$2.22 DOP 134

10.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$6.08 DOP 366

-46.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.27 DOP 76.4

-0.79%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$26.8K DOP 1.6M

12.39%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$31.4K DOP 1.9M

-25.32%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$76.2 DOP 4,591

10.18%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$25.02 DOP 1,507

-11.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$35.51 DOP 2,139

-16.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$20.68 DOP 1,245

154.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$6.69 DOP 403

-26.01%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$271 DOP 16.3K

-26.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$8,209 DOP 494.5K

-35.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$61.0 DOP 3,672

-41.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$52.4 DOP 3,156

-23.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$95.5 DOP 5,751

-17.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$114 DOP 6,837

-23.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

12.9

-11.47%

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 Jarabacoa: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $0 in Jarabacoa. 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $52 in Jarabacoa. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $247 in Jarabacoa – so Jarabacoa 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 Jarabacoa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,075 in Jarabacoa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $717 in Jarabacoa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $271 in Jarabacoa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jarabacoa, where all-in costs run around $717, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Jarabacoa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jarabacoa – 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 Jarabacoa. 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.