🙂A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,324 in Juniyah, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,982 in Juniyah, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,639 in Juniyah, rent included.
🙂Playa del Carmen is about 4% cheaper than Juniyah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Juniyah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen7% lower, Juniyah3% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60MX$199
$11.93LBP 1.1M
-2.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11MX$809
$62.9LBP 5.6M
-25.06%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.88MX$204
$10.15LBP 908.7K
17.04%
Cappuccino
$3.98MX$68.2
$4.66LBP 417.5K
-14.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43MX$24.49
$2.27LBP 202.8K
-37.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82MX$14.16
$0.90LBP 81.0K
-8.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.19MX$54.7
$4.97LBP 444.7K
-35.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79MX$117
$4.96LBP 444.1K
36.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.76
$1.96LBP 175.6K
-14.29%
White Bread(500g)
$2.20MX$37.71
$0.82LBP 73.2K
168.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.71MX$29.32
$2.15LBP 192.2K
-20.47%
Eggs
$2.74MX$47.05
$3.66LBP 327.3K
-25.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.58MX$164
$8.96LBP 802.1K
6.92%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.01MX$155
$10.58LBP 946.6K
-14.84%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.81MX$220
$14.14LBP 1.3M
-9.41%
Apples(1kg)
$2.89MX$49.58
$2.97LBP 266.2K
-2.69%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.70
$1.63LBP 146.1K
-7.98%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15MX$36.87
$1.69LBP 151.6K
27.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.79
$1.48LBP 132.7K
52.70%
Potato(1kg)
$1.98MX$34.00
$1.35LBP 120.5K
46.67%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.15
$1.70LBP 151.8K
17.06%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.23MX$21.18
$1.21LBP 108.2K
1.65%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20MX$20.54
$0.69LBP 61.7K
73.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55MX$78.1
$3.07LBP 274.4K
48.21%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.37MX$178
$9.84LBP 880.7K
5.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.79
$1.32LBP 117.7K
22.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88MX$49.44
$2.57LBP 229.7K
12.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.30
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.80MX$494
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.39MX$92.5
$5.13LBP 458.9K
5.07%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.73MX$64.0
$2.23LBP 200.0K
67.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.77MX$99.0
$22.46LBP 2.0M
-74.31%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.37
$1.05LBP 93.7K
46.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5KMX$387.0K
$53.0KLBP 4.7B
-57.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KMX$447.3K
$32.4KLBP 2.9B
-19.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$91.4MX$1,569
$226LBP 20.2M
-59.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20MX$433
$23.45LBP 2.1M
7.46%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24MX$536
$37.23LBP 3.3M
-16.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$67.2MX$1,154
$29.56LBP 2.6M
127.33%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11MX$500
$9.99LBP 894.0K
191.39%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$83.5
$9.88LBP 884.1K
-50.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$224MX$3,839
$677LBP 60.6M
-66.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,229MX$72.6K
$10.6KLBP 945.8M
-59.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10MX$808
$67.3LBP 6.0M
-30.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29MX$760
$49.47LBP 4.4M
-10.47%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.1MX$1,375
$136LBP 12.2M
-41.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7MX$1,591
$118LBP 10.6M
-21.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,063MX$18.2K
$377LBP 33.7M
181.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$390MX$6,698
$299LBP 26.7M
30.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,149MX$36.9K
$442LBP 39.5M
386.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,272MX$21.8K
$402LBP 36.0M
216.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,001MX$68.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,502MX$111.6K
$795LBP 71.2M
717.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$758MX$13.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
11
4.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026
Last update for Juniyah: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $377 in Juniyah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $63.0 in Juniyah. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $264 in Juniyah – so Juniyah 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 Juniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Juniyah cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Juniyah is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,986 in Juniyah. 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.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Juniyah?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $63.0 in Juniyah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Juniyah?
Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Juniyah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Juniyah?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Juniyah at $1,324. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Juniyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Juniyah 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, Juniyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared