Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Juba

For one person, living is cheaper in Juba: $233 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Juba, South Sudan
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Juba
🇸🇸 South Sudan
$233
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Juba

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Juba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $233 in Juba, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Juba $233

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $362 in Juba, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Juba $362

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $492 in Juba, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Juba $492

Playa del Carmen costs about 418% more than Juba.

Both Playa del Carmen and Juba are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Juba 83% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$204
$19.73 SSP 113.5K
-44.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$808
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$220
$9.24 SSP 53.1K
27.49%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.0
$3.42 SSP 19.7K
11.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.90
$1.49 SSP 8,547
-14.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.59
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.0
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.0
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.33
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.42
-
-
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.03
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$237
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.9
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.50
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.55
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.58
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.13
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.16
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.37
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.98
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.1
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.52
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.79
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.31
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$496
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.6
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.1
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.8
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.92
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$385.2K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.4K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,581
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$436
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$534
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,063
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$539
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.8
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,851
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.2K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$808
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$772
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,383
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,664
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.3K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,099
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
$1,743 SSP 10.0M
-57.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
12
-4.58%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Juba: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Juba
–
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Juba
–
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Juba
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Juba
–
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Juba
–
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Juba
–
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Juba
–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Juba are about 2.4 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇸🇸 Juba
🕒 Local time
18:01 6:01 PM
01:01 1:01 AM
7 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
372,410 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SSP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

South Sudanese Pound exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 5,751 SSP (10,000 SSP = 1.74 USD). 1 EUR = 6,402 SSP (10,000 SSP = 1.56 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Juba 12,750 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Juba

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Juba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is cheaper: Playa del Carmen or Juba?
Playa del Carmen costs about 418% more than Juba, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $349 in Juba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Juba?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Juba, where all-in costs run around $233, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Juba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Juba?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $233 in Juba to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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