Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Montego Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Montego Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,295 in Montego Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,753 in Montego Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,210 in Montego Bay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 3% cheaper than Montego Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Montego Bay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Montego Bay 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$7.54 JMD 1,188

55.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$50.2 JMD 7,898

-16.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.72 JMD 1,215

36.14%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.31 JMD 678

-16.71%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.32 JMD 209

14.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.76 JMD 120

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.46 JMD 388

20.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.07 JMD 484

43.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.47 JMD 390

-43.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.82 JMD 444

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.60 JMD 252

-2.50%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.46 JMD 544

-24.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.12 JMD 1,752

-25.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.46 JMD 1,017

29.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.69 JMD 1,211

41.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.35 JMD 528

-19.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$3.14 JMD 495

-51.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.74 JMD 431

-31.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.79 JMD 281

22.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.04 JMD 321

-8.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.13 JMD 177

97.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.84 JMD 290

-41.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.93 JMD 147

17.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$8.80 JMD 1,386

-52.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$11.16 JMD 1,758

-6.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.12 JMD 334

-21.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.15 JMD 496

-17.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.92 JMD 145

-41.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.96 JMD 152

220.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$3.25 JMD 512

-26.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$6.13 JMD 966

-48.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.23 JMD 194

6.50%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

-29.66%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$33.0K JMD 5.2M

-29.30%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$164 JMD 25.8K

-50.35%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$21.61 JMD 3,404

4.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$48.06 JMD 7,569

-37.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$37.26 JMD 5,869

42.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$7.57 JMD 1,192

-35.01%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$62.7 JMD 9,870

220.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$1,854 JMD 292.0K

179.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$26.57 JMD 4,185

35.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$19.57 JMD 3,083

105.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$66.5 JMD 10.5K

19.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$76.1 JMD 12.0K

13.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$265 JMD 41.7K

269.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$448 JMD 70.6K

4.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$662 JMD 104.3K

149.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$447 JMD 70.3K

169.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$552 JMD 87.0K

22.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

42.75%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $265 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 22% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.0 in Montego Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $284 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Montego Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montego Bay costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,943 in Montego Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $50.0 in Montego Bay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Montego Bay at $1,295. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montego Bay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,260 versus $1,295 in Montego Bay. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.