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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,282 in Juba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,889 in Juba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,495 in Juba, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 62% cheaper than Juba, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Juba is 146% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99 MX$209
$4.90 SSP 13.8K
144.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$728
$47.36 SSP 133.3K
-11.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 MX$187
$6.97 SSP 19.6K
54.23%
Cappuccino
$3.50 MX$60.9
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.22
$1.01 SSP 2,847
43.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 MX$15.41
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.3
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 MX$78.6
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.99
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$27.31
-
-
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.74
$2.11 SSP 5,946
18.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.28 MX$144
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.43 MX$147
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.68 MX$186
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 MX$45.43
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$25.04
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$34.16
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$36.47
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.24
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.74
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 MX$17.96
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.70
$0.52 SSP 1,457
105.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10 MX$71.4
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 MX$177
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$29.17
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$43.98
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.87
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.04 MX$453
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.3
$7.19 SSP 20.2K
-55.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.41 MX$41.88
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.2
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$23.00
$1.46 SSP 4,104
-9.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K MX$517.1K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$412.0K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,428
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95 MX$400
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11 MX$524
$100.0 SSP 281.3K
-69.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 MX$905
$345 SSP 970.9K
-84.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53 MX$323
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 MX$86.6
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,438
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,336 MX$92.9K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60 MX$620
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33 MX$702
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,371
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,549
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 MX$16.5K
$3,532 SSP 9.9M
-73.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 MX$8,254
$2,754 SSP 7.8M
-82.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,644 MX$28.6K
$11.9K SSP 33.4M
-86.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,211 MX$21.1K
$1,304 SSP 3.7M
-7.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,056 MX$70.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,470 MX$112.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Juba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 MX$11.4K
$1,764 SSP 5.0M
-62.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
12
-4.83%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Juba: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,532 in Juba. 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 170% higher in Juba, 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 $47.00 in Juba. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $15.00 in Juba – so Juba 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 Juba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Juba cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Juba is pricier by about 161%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,923 in Juba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Juba?
Interestingly, groceries are about 1596% cheaper in Juba – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Juba?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $47.00 in Juba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Juba?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Juba at $3,282. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Juba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Juba more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Juba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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