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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $653 in Jayapura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,010 in Jayapura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,341 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,366 in Jayapura.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 104% more expensive than in Jayapura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Jayapura 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$1.65 Rp 29.4K

689.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$9.71 Rp 172.7K

376.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$3.04 Rp 54.1K

314.14%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.01 Rp 35.8K

99.00%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.66 Rp 11.8K

115.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.53 Rp 9,455

52.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$3.30 Rp 58.6K

-7.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$2.85 Rp 50.7K

139.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.08 Rp 19.2K

58.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$1.02 Rp 18.0K

117.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.85 Rp 15.1K

102.35%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

83.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$6.42 Rp 114.2K

45.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$2.98 Rp 53.0K

197.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$7.97 Rp 141.6K

60.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$2.38 Rp 42.3K

31.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

17.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.89 Rp 33.6K

13.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$1.31 Rp 23.2K

79.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

56.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.94 Rp 34.5K

2.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

69.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.37 Rp 6,505

221.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$2.71 Rp 48.1K

71.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$20.09 Rp 357.0K

-47.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.85 Rp 32.8K

-14.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$3.06 Rp 54.4K

-4.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.28 Rp 4,967

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$0.47 Rp 8,269

1031.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.39 Rp 6,868

853.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$2.34 Rp 41.6K

147.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

103.95%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$25.0K Rp 444.9M

-10.63%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$35.0K Rp 621.4M

-26.86%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$61.4 Rp 1.1M

45.34%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$4.33 Rp 76.9K

438.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$16.74 Rp 297.6K

89.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$22.79 Rp 405.1K

201.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$7.85 Rp 139.5K

274.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$2.86 Rp 50.9K

76.92%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

133.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$7,612 Rp 135.3M

-43.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$42.31 Rp 752.0K

9.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$32.70 Rp 581.2K

35.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

34.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$72.4 Rp 1.3M

27.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$223 Rp 4.0M

379.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$153 Rp 2.7M

157.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$558 Rp 9.9M

256.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$414 Rp 7.4M

214.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$1,136 Rp 20.2M

255.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$805 Rp 14.3M

723.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

9.67

19.96%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Jayapura: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $223 in Jayapura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $10.00 in Jayapura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $193 per month, with Jayapura 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 Jayapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jayapura is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,995 in Playa del Carmen and $980 in Jayapura to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $223 in Jayapura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $653 in Jayapura – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $653 in Jayapura versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jayapura but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Jayapura the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jayapura is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Jayapura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.