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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,719 in Jayuya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,496 in Jayuya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,272 in Jayuya.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 25% less than in Jayuya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Jayuya is 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$16.77 $16.77

-30.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$81.9 $81.9

-49.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$9.82 $9.82

8.35%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.26 $3.26

7.98%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.69 $1.69

-10.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.38 $1.38

-29.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.05 $3.05

-3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.92 $3.92

13.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.43 $2.43

-43.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.46 $3.46

-45.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.16 $2.16

-24.07%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$5.76 $5.76

-56.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.94 $8.94

-6.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.31 $8.31

0.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$12.83 $12.83

-16.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$6.05 $6.05

-57.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.74 $2.74

-46.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.88 $3.88

-51.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$4.15 $4.15

-49.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$3.92 $3.92

-54.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$3.02 $3.02

-27.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.98 $2.98

-65.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.94 $1.94

-44.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$11.33 $11.33

-63.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$15.15 $15.15

-31.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.44 $2.44

-29.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.24 $3.24

-20.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.46 $1.46

70.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$15.22 $15.22

-78.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.01 $1.01

29.70%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$35.7K $35.7K

-15.19%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$27.1K $27.1K

-13.39%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$314 $314

-73.64%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$78.0 $78.0

-71.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$71.7 $71.7

-59.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$11.69 $11.69

-56.63%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$466 $466

-56.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$10.5K $10.5K

-50.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$46.15 $46.15

-20.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$56.6 $56.6

-29.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$90.1 $90.1

-12.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$106 $106

-18.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$503 $503

93.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$448 $448

4.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,792 $1,792

-8.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$558 $558

118.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$859 $859

359.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$798 $798

714.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,421 $1,421

-53.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.71

100.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Jayuya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $503 in Jayuya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jayuya pays 114% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $82.0 in Jayuya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $382 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Jayuya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Jayuya differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $1,719 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Jayuya earns 114% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $503 in Jayuya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Jayuya. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,719 in Jayuya – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,719 in Jayuya, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Jayuya. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Jayuya are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Jayuya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.