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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,002 in Jos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,365 in Jos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,728 in Jos, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 28% more than Jos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Jos are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Jos 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$1.29 ₦1,761

825.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$13.85 ₦18.9K

208.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$4.70 ₦6,420

125.32%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.33 ₦3,178

55.36%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.34 ₦471

332.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.25 ₦342

276.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$0.69 ₦941

347.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$3.65 ₦4,989

-60.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.95 ₦1,300

97.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$3.29 ₦4,491

-50.46%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$2.95 ₦4,029

-10.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$9.91 ₦13.5K

-17.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$5.11 ₦6,985

62.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$4.59 ₦6,265

141.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$4.11 ₦5,608

-35.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$4.89 ₦6,679

-69.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$2.72 ₦3,718

-26.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$4.03 ₦5,498

-48.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$2.28 ₦3,118

-21.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.98 ₦2,698

10.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.64 ₦870

68.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.71 ₦974

46.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$3.98 ₦5,442

156.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$0.74 ₦1,004

133.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$1.01 ₦1,382

210.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$10.14 ₦13.8K

-69.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$0.96 ₦1,312

32.29%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$98.7 ₦134.8K

-16.91%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$9.98 ₦13.6K

124.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$39.33 ₦53.7K

31.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$12.15 ₦16.6K

53.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$8.77 ₦12.0K

-43.33%

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$990 ₦1.4M

432.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$10.01 ₦13.7K

263.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$14.95 ₦20.4K

167.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$50.1 ₦68.5K

59.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$49.78 ₦68.0K

78.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$697 ₦951.3K

38.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$475 ₦649.3K

-2.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$875 ₦1.2M

82.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$603 ₦822.9K

100.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$1,960 ₦2.7M

101.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$1,521 ₦2.1M

324.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$108 ₦148.1K

564.58%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Jos: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $697 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 565% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Jos. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $255 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $1,002 in Jos – roughly 28% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,504 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 $43.00 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,002 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 $1,002, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $1,002 in Jos to $1,287 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.