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 $1,266 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 Carmen 7% lower, Juniyah 3% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60 MX$199
$11.93 LBP 1.1M
-2.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11 MX$809
$62.9 LBP 5.6M
-25.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.88 MX$204
$10.15 LBP 908.7K
17.04%
Cappuccino
$3.98 MX$68.2
$4.66 LBP 417.5K
-14.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 MX$24.49
$2.27 LBP 202.8K
-37.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$14.16
$0.90 LBP 81.0K
-8.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$54.7
$4.97 LBP 444.7K
-35.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79 MX$117
$4.96 LBP 444.1K
36.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.76
$1.96 LBP 175.6K
-14.29%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$37.71
$0.82 LBP 73.2K
168.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 MX$29.32
$2.15 LBP 192.2K
-20.47%
Eggs
$2.74 MX$47.05
$3.66 LBP 327.3K
-25.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.58 MX$164
$8.96 LBP 802.1K
6.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.01 MX$155
$10.58 LBP 946.6K
-14.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 MX$220
$14.14 LBP 1.3M
-9.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.89 MX$49.58
$2.97 LBP 266.2K
-2.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.70
$1.63 LBP 146.1K
-7.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 MX$36.87
$1.69 LBP 151.6K
27.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.79
$1.48 LBP 132.7K
52.70%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 MX$34.00
$1.35 LBP 120.5K
46.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.15
$1.70 LBP 151.8K
17.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 MX$21.18
$1.21 LBP 108.2K
1.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$20.54
$0.69 LBP 61.7K
73.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55 MX$78.1
$3.07 LBP 274.4K
48.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.37 MX$178
$9.84 LBP 880.7K
5.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.79
$1.32 LBP 117.7K
22.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$49.44
$2.57 LBP 229.7K
12.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.30
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.80 MX$494
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$92.5
$5.13 LBP 458.9K
5.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.73 MX$64.0
$2.23 LBP 200.0K
67.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.77 MX$99.0
$22.46 LBP 2.0M
-74.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.37
$1.05 LBP 93.7K
46.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K MX$387.0K
$53.0K LBP 4.7B
-57.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K MX$447.3K
$32.4K LBP 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)
$91.4 MX$1,569
$226 LBP 20.2M
-59.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20 MX$433
$23.45 LBP 2.1M
7.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24 MX$536
$37.23 LBP 3.3M
-16.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 MX$1,154
$29.56 LBP 2.6M
127.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11 MX$500
$9.99 LBP 894.0K
191.39%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$83.5
$9.88 LBP 884.1K
-50.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$224 MX$3,839
$677 LBP 60.6M
-66.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,229 MX$72.6K
$10.6K LBP 945.8M
-59.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10 MX$808
$67.3 LBP 6.0M
-30.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29 MX$760
$49.47 LBP 4.4M
-10.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.1 MX$1,375
$136 LBP 12.2M
-41.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7 MX$1,591
$118 LBP 10.6M
-21.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,063 MX$18.2K
$377 LBP 33.7M
181.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 MX$6,698
$299 LBP 26.7M
30.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,149 MX$36.9K
$442 LBP 39.5M
386.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 MX$21.8K
$402 LBP 36.0M
216.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,001 MX$68.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,502 MX$111.6K
$795 LBP 71.2M
717.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Juniyah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$758 MX$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.

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