Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Jefferson City, MO Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Jefferson City, MO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,824 in Jefferson City, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,869 in Jefferson City, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,915 in Jefferson City, MO.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 29% less than in Jefferson City, MO, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Jefferson City, MO is 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$15.13 $15.13

-22.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$40.58 $40.58

14.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$10.01 $10.01

16.38%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$5.66 $5.66

-27.74%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.98 $1.98

-30.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$2.23 $2.23

-62.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$5.59 $5.59

-40.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$6.38 $6.38

8.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$0.86 $0.86

101.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$3.35 $3.35

-32.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$4.52 $4.52

-60.84%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$4.22 $4.22

-35.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$4.28 $4.28

114.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$9.80 $9.80

-8.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$13.67 $13.67

-7.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$4.55 $4.55

-33.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.55 $1.55

1.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$4.56 $4.56

-53.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$4.35 $4.35

-48.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$3.18 $3.18

-37.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$3.43 $3.43

-39.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$2.37 $2.37

-50.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.96 $1.96

-38.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$7.83 $7.83

-40.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$12.70 $12.70

-15.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$2.03 $2.03

-20.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$3.80 $3.80

-24.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$3.05 $3.05

-81.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$2.48 $2.48

119.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.27 $1.27

191.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$60.3 $60.3

-90.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$0.85 $0.85

82.35%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$35.6K $35.6K

-37.25%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$25.2K $25.2K

3.13%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$202 $202

-55.77%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$66.0 $66.0

-62.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$70.1 $70.1

-55.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$14.91 $14.91

-66.13%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$1,133 $1,133

-80.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$20.7K $20.7K

-79.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$50.6 $50.6

-6.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$43.65 $43.65

3.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$103 $103

-20.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$124 $124

-25.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$870 $870

22.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$706 $706

-42.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,786 $1,786

8.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,564 $1,564

-16.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,537 $1,537

159.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,754 $1,754

277.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$1,907 $1,907

-60.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.12

87.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Jefferson City, MO: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $870 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jefferson City, MO pays 155% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $41.00 in Jefferson City, MO. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $344, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Jefferson City, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 155% lower in Jefferson City, MO. 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $870 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $225 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,133 in Jefferson City, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $41.00 in Jefferson City, MO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,824 in Jefferson City, MO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Jefferson City, MO. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Jefferson City, MO 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 41% less than in Jefferson City, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.