🙂A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,287 in Montego Bay, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,759 in Montego Bay, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,231 in Montego Bay, rent included.
🙂Playa del Carmen and Montego Bay have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Montego Bay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Montego Bay4% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Montego Bay
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$7.69JMD 1,208
55.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$50.9JMD 7,988
-15.95%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$7.30JMD 1,147
45.07%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$4.38JMD 688
-17.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$1.37JMD 216
7.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.71JMD 112
32.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$2.48JMD 389
24.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$3.08JMD 484
44.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Montego Bay
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$2.52JMD 396
-43.25%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$2.68JMD 421
-29.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.57JMD 246
3.82%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$3.60JMD 565
-26.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$11.03JMD 1,732
-25.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$6.43JMD 1,010
28.93%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$7.77JMD 1,220
42.86%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$3.37JMD 529
-21.36%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$3.09JMD 486
-51.46%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$2.84JMD 445
-29.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.76JMD 277
18.18%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$2.12JMD 333
-15.57%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.13JMD 177
92.92%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$1.91JMD 300
-43.46%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.93JMD 146
11.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$8.61JMD 1,352
-53.89%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$11.46JMD 1,800
-10.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$2.11JMD 331
-18.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$3.06JMD 481
-18.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Montego Bay
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.93JMD 146
-44.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$0.93JMD 146
237.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$3.22JMD 505
-25.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$6.37JMD 1,001
-51.49%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$1.24JMD 195
2.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$42.3KJMD 6.6M
-26.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$34.1KJMD 5.4M
-31.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Montego Bay
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$163JMD 25.6K
-49.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$21.26JMD 3,339
5.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$47.70JMD 7,491
-37.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Montego Bay
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$37.35JMD 5,866
38.88%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$7.54JMD 1,185
-34.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Montego Bay
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$62.6JMD 9,827
216.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$1,882JMD 295.6K
180.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Montego Bay
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$26.12JMD 4,102
39.13%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$20.10JMD 3,157
99.25%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$66.2JMD 10.4K
20.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$75.8JMD 11.9K
17.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Montego Bay
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$257JMD 40.3K
275.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$461JMD 72.4K
0.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$669JMD 105.0K
138.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$431JMD 67.7K
180.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Montego Bay
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$562JMD 88.3K
28.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
8
42.75%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Montego Bay: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $257 in Montego Bay. 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 28% higher in Playa del Carmen. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $51.0 in Montego Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $284 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Montego Bay: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen vs Montego Bay?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,931 in Montego Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Montego Bay?
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.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or Montego Bay?
Groceries cost about 13% more in Montego Bay, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen vs Montego Bay?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $51.0 in Montego Bay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or Montego Bay?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Montego Bay at $1,287. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montego Bay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Montego Bay?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,287 versus $1,287 in Montego Bay. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or Montego Bay?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montego Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado