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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,025 in Jos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,409 in Jos, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,792 in Jos, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Jos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Jos are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Jos 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$1.31 ₦1,791

794.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$13.82 ₦18.9K

203.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.56 ₦6,214

130.48%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.36 ₦3,220

52.12%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.34 ₦469

344.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.25 ₦343

268.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$0.69 ₦935

328.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$3.61 ₦4,924

-61.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.89 ₦1,214

111.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.42 ₦4,662

-54.39%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.92 ₦3,981

-10.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.07 ₦13.7K

-17.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.98 ₦6,787

67.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$4.41 ₦6,020

146.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$4.11 ₦5,613

-34.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$4.97 ₦6,779

-69.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.74 ₦3,739

-31.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$3.95 ₦5,385

-44.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.30 ₦3,141

-19.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.97 ₦2,688

13.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.64 ₦874

67.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.77 ₦1,057

41.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$5.78 ₦7,887

80.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.74 ₦1,016

124.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.98 ₦1,331

214.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$9.88 ₦13.5K

-68.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.88 ₦1,198

48.86%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$100 ₦137.0K

-19.06%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$9.95 ₦13.6K

126.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$40.13 ₦54.7K

31.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$12.12 ₦16.5K

51.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$9.23 ₦12.6K

-46.70%

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

$201 MX$3,474

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$985 ₦1.3M

425.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$9.94 ₦13.6K

261.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$14.79 ₦20.2K

171.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$50.9 ₦69.4K

56.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$50.6 ₦69.0K

70.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$696 ₦949.7K

40.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$472 ₦643.2K

-0.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$850 ₦1.2M

94.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$606 ₦827.3K

98.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,033 ₦2.8M

94.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,478 ₦2.0M

347.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$68.2 ₦93.0K

892.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Jos: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $696 in Jos. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 893% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Jos. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $258 in Jos – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Jos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $1,025 in Jos – roughly 23% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,538 in Jos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $14.00 in Jos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,025 in Jos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jos, where all-in costs run around $1,025, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Jos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,025 in Jos to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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