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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,588 in Juffair.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,310 in Juffair.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,033 in Juffair.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 21% less than in Juffair, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Juffair is 19% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Juffair
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99 MX$209
$6.65 BHD 2.51
80.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78 MX$728
$31.33 BHD 11.81
33.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.75 MX$187
$7.63 BHD 2.88
40.89%
Cappuccino
$3.50 MX$60.9
$5.27 BHD 1.99
-33.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.22
$0.72 BHD 0.27
101.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 MX$15.41
$0.26 BHD 0.10
238.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.3
$5.16 BHD 1.95
-42.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51 MX$78.6
$9.47 BHD 3.57
-52.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Juffair
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 MX$24.94
$1.65 BHD 0.62
-13.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.99
$1.35 BHD 0.51
36.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 MX$27.31
$1.68 BHD 0.63
-6.55%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.74
$2.46 BHD 0.93
2.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.28 MX$144
$6.46 BHD 2.44
28.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.43 MX$147
$6.29 BHD 2.37
34.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.68 MX$186
$9.08 BHD 3.42
17.62%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 MX$45.43
$2.35 BHD 0.89
11.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MX$25.04
$2.01 BHD 0.76
-28.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$34.16
$1.71 BHD 0.64
14.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$36.47
$1.15 BHD 0.44
81.74%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.24
$0.90 BHD 0.34
105.56%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.74
$1.07 BHD 0.40
102.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 MX$17.96
$1.49 BHD 0.56
-30.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MX$18.70
$0.82 BHD 0.31
30.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10 MX$71.4
$6.46 BHD 2.43
-36.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 MX$177
$18.93 BHD 7.13
-46.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$29.17
$3.43 BHD 1.29
-51.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 MX$43.98
$3.26 BHD 1.23
-22.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Juffair
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.87
$0.76 BHD 0.29
-32.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.04 MX$453
$34.92 BHD 13.16
-25.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.3
$3.14 BHD 1.18
2.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.41 MX$41.88
$3.91 BHD 1.47
-38.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 MX$56.2
$26.31 BHD 9.91
-87.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$23.00
$0.20 BHD 0.08
560.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K MX$517.1K
$28.3K BHD 10.7K
5.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$412.0K
$18.1K BHD 6,817
30.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Juffair
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.0 MX$1,428
$119 BHD 44.94
-31.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95 MX$400
$27.05 BHD 10.19
-15.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11 MX$524
$32.03 BHD 12.07
-5.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Juffair
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.0 MX$905
$52.6 BHD 19.82
-1.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53 MX$323
$39.64 BHD 14.94
-53.25%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98 MX$86.6
$9.22 BHD 3.47
-45.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Juffair
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,438
$239 BHD 89.9
-17.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,336 MX$92.9K
$8,839 BHD 3,331
-39.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Juffair
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60 MX$620
$42.61 BHD 16.06
-16.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33 MX$702
$32.42 BHD 12.22
24.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,371
$67.2 BHD 25.34
17.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 MX$1,549
$66.5 BHD 25.07
33.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Juffair
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 MX$16.5K
$954 BHD 360
-0.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 MX$8,254
$735 BHD 277
-35.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,644 MX$28.6K
$1,753 BHD 661
-6.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,211 MX$21.1K
$1,198 BHD 451
1.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,056 MX$70.6K
$2,098 BHD 791
93.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,470 MX$112.7K
$1,567 BHD 590
312.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Juffair
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 MX$11.4K
$2,772 BHD 1,045
-76.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
7
63.14%

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 Juffair: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $954 in Juffair. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Juffair pays 324% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $31.00 in Juffair for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $243 per month, with Juffair cheaper across the board.

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 Juffair: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Juffair?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Juffair. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or in Juffair?
On paper, salaries run 324% lower in Juffair. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Juffair?
Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $954 in Juffair. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Juffair?
All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,588 in Juffair – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen compared to Juffair?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 34% less than in Juffair. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Juffair?
At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,588 in Juffair, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Juffair. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Juffair?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,256 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Juffair?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Juffair are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Juffair. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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