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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,011 in Juniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,482 in Juniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,953 in Juniyah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 28% more than Juniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Juniyah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Juniyah 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.67 LBP 954.8K

9.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$40.17 LBP 3.6M

3.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.10 LBP 724.8K

31.36%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.05 LBP 183.6K

71.71%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

54.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.86 LBP 77.1K

12.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.59 LBP 320.9K

-17.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.96 LBP 443.7K

-10.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.67 LBP 149.8K

-17.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.84 LBP 74.8K

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.30 LBP 116.5K

26.15%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.75 LBP 246.4K

-8.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.31 LBP 1.0M

-26.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.43 LBP 396.2K

88.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.69 LBP 867.6K

10.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.02 LBP 91.0K

154.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.77 LBP 69.0K

89.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.12 LBP 100.3K

69.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.97 LBP 86.8K

114.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.91 LBP 81.7K

95.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.94 LBP 84.0K

132.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.49 LBP 43.6K

112.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.42 LBP 37.2K

157.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.54 LBP 227.4K

60.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.05 LBP 899.5K

2.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.13 LBP 101.1K

51.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.96 LBP 175.3K

31.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.03 LBP 91.9K

-50.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$22.15 LBP 2.0M

19.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.92 LBP 350.6K

-16.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.91 LBP 81.9K

173.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$19.72 LBP 1.8M

-83.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.94 LBP 84.4K

39.36%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$20.7K LBP 1.9B

46.20%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$25.0K LBP 2.2B

-6.33%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$130 LBP 11.6M

-36.23%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$19.79 LBP 1.8M

12.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$27.21 LBP 2.4M

7.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$40.21 LBP 3.6M

28.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$10.16 LBP 909.3K

80.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$8.12 LBP 726.6K

-37.56%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$306 LBP 27.4M

-34.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,490 LBP 133.4M

249.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$19.94 LBP 1.8M

85.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$19.92 LBP 1.8M

99.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$52.8 LBP 4.7M

48.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$49.93 LBP 4.5M

74.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$394 LBP 35.2M

147.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$329 LBP 29.4M

42.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$481 LBP 43.0M

241.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$421 LBP 37.7M

190.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$792 LBP 70.9M

720.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.16

2.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Juniyah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $394 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Juniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $187 – making Juniyah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,516 in Juniyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Juniyah, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $40.00 in Juniyah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,011 in Juniyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Juniyah, where all-in costs run around $1,011, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Juniyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Juniyah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Juniyah. 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.