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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,890 in Jekabpils.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,484 in Jekabpils.

Monthly costs are close between Playa del Carmen and Jekabpils; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$12.57 €10.91

-6.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$32.38 €28.09

28.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$9.47 €8.22

12.35%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.4

$3.55 €3.08

-0.85%

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

$1.05 €0.91

43.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$0.98 €0.85

-1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$4.90 €4.25

-39.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$5.88 €5.10

-24.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$1.11 €0.97

24.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.03

$1.69 €1.47

11.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$2.97 €2.58

-44.78%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$2.36 €2.05

6.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$9.44 €8.19

-11.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$6.86 €5.95

21.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$11.71 €10.15

-8.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.47

$1.27 €1.10

104.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$1.93 €1.67

-24.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$2.06 €1.79

-7.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$3.44 €2.99

-39.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$1.03 €0.90

72.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$0.89 €0.77

146.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$1.75 €1.52

-40.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$0.77 €0.67

40.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$5.64 €4.89

-27.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$6.94 €6.02

48.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$1.52 €1.32

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.97

$1.18 €1.02

118.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$1.43 €1.24

-64.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

$37.00 €32.10

-28.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$1.01 €0.88

222.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.50

$0.38 €0.33

555.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$13.70 €11.89

-76.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$1.78 €1.55

-26.40%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$30.1K €26.2K

0.44%

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$32.0K €27.7K

-26.67%

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$281 €244

-70.49%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$11.54 €10.01

92.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$16.72 €14.50

75.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$51.3 €44.48

0.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$14.15 €12.28

29.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$11.68 €10.13

-56.59%

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

$201 MX$3,507

$544 €472

-63.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$8,132 €7,055

-35.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$91.0 €78.9

-59.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$29.20 €25.33

36.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$95.0 €82.4

-17.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$132 €115

-34.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$361 €313

169.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,168

$254 €221

83.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$738 €641

122.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$457 €396

167.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$887 €770

344.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$824 €715

688.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

$1,031 €895

-35.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.63

146.65%

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 Jekabpils: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $361 in Jekabpils. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jekabpils pays 55% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $32.00 in Jekabpils for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $235 per month, with Jekabpils 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 Jekabpils: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Jekabpils earns 55% 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 $361 in Jekabpils. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 40% less than in Jekabpils. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Jekabpils pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,297 in Jekabpils, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Jekabpils. 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 Jekabpils are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Playa del Carmen wins on affordability, Jekabpils on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.