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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,314 in Montego Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,787 in Montego Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,261 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 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$7.54 JMD 1,186

57.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$50.3 JMD 7,905

-14.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.38 JMD 1,161

44.31%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.31 JMD 678

-19.95%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.33 JMD 209

12.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.76 JMD 120

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.43 JMD 382

24.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.18 JMD 500

44.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.53 JMD 397

-45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.76 JMD 434

-32.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.63 JMD 257

-1.23%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.56 JMD 559

-27.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$10.94 JMD 1,721

-24.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.45 JMD 1,014

29.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.56 JMD 1,189

41.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.42 JMD 537

-23.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$3.14 JMD 494

-52.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.71 JMD 427

-29.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.75 JMD 275

19.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.03 JMD 319

-8.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.13 JMD 178

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.91 JMD 301

-44.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.95 JMD 149

14.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$9.03 JMD 1,420

-54.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$11.28 JMD 1,773

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.11 JMD 332

-18.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.16 JMD 497

-17.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.96 JMD 151

-43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.91 JMD 143

243.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$3.21 JMD 505

-21.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.40 JMD 1,006

-50.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.29 JMD 203

-1.55%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$43.6K JMD 6.9M

-30.33%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-30.12%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$163 JMD 25.6K

-48.98%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$21.15 JMD 3,327

7.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$47.83 JMD 7,522

-38.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$37.84 JMD 5,952

34.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$7.55 JMD 1,188

-34.70%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$63.0 JMD 9,903

213.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$1,913 JMD 300.9K

176.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$25.80 JMD 4,057

43.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$19.75 JMD 3,106

101.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$66.6 JMD 10.5K

20.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$75.2 JMD 11.8K

18.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$266 JMD 41.8K

260.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$448 JMD 70.4K

6.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$648 JMD 102.0K

153.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$442 JMD 69.6K

176.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$552 JMD 86.8K

20.91%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Montego Bay: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $266 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 21% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.0 in Montego Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,971 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 $43.00 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 14% 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 $1,271, than in Montego Bay at $1,314. 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 $1,271 versus $1,314 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.