Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Jolly Harbour Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Jolly Harbour

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,345 in Jolly Harbour, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,982 in Jolly Harbour, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,620 in Jolly Harbour, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 4% cheaper than Jolly Harbour, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Jolly Harbour is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$9.47 EC$25.58

23.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$73.3 EC$198

-43.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.42 EC$20.04

43.40%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$5.69 EC$15.38

-38.14%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$2.18 EC$5.88

-30.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.14 EC$3.07

-14.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$5.62 EC$15.16

-47.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$4.56 EC$12.30

-2.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.00 EC$8.11

-37.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$4.73 EC$12.76

-65.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$8.09 EC$21.85

-68.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.69 EC$15.36

46.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$7.32 EC$19.78

13.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$16.60 EC$44.83

-35.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$5.64 EC$15.22

-53.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.80 EC$4.85

-18.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$3.16 EC$8.52

-39.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$3.57 EC$9.64

-41.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$6.67 EC$18.01

-73.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.50 EC$6.76

-12.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$3.85 EC$10.40

-72.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$4.46 EC$12.05

-75.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$12.76 EC$34.46

-19.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.33 EC$3.60

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$3.11 EC$8.40

-17.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.89 EC$5.10

-73.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$5.43 EC$14.65

-54.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.69 EC$1.85

89.86%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$518 EC$1,398

-84.00%

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

$22.22 MX$385

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$67.2 EC$181

-56.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$73.9 EC$199

-30.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$54.6 EC$147

-66.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$16.39 EC$44.25

-69.07%

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

$201 MX$3,480

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

90.33%

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 Jolly Harbour: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $73.0 in Jolly Harbour. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $387 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Jolly Harbour: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jolly Harbour costs about 4% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,017 in Jolly Harbour. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,345 in Jolly Harbour. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 55% more in Jolly Harbour, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Jolly Harbour at $1,345. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jolly Harbour it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $1,345 in Jolly Harbour. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jolly Harbour makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.