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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $870 in Negril.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,358 in Negril.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,095 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,846 in Negril.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 45% more expensive than in Negril, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Negril 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$7.59 JMD 1,195

57.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$731

$49.34 JMD 7,770

-15.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$9.00 JMD 1,418

15.78%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.3

$1.97 JMD 310

78.17%

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

$1.52 MX$26.44

$1.32 JMD 208

15.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.88

$0.76 JMD 119

19.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.0

$2.46 JMD 388

23.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.2

$3.06 JMD 482

42.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.78

$4.40 JMD 693

-67.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.93

$3.47 JMD 546

-47.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.51

$1.57 JMD 247

3.82%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.29

$3.56 JMD 560

-28.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$11.00 JMD 1,732

-22.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$6.26 JMD 985

35.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$7.81 JMD 1,229

38.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.04

$6.07 JMD 956

-54.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.05

$3.14 JMD 495

-54.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.90

$4.26 JMD 671

-55.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.84

$2.91 JMD 458

-25.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.03

$2.01 JMD 317

-11.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.79

$2.00 JMD 315

11.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.64

$3.07 JMD 483

-65.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.83

$1.44 JMD 227

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.3

$8.57 JMD 1,350

-51.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$11.42 JMD 1,799

-8.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.40

$2.81 JMD 443

-38.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.01

$3.08 JMD 485

-16.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.0

$1.09 JMD 171

194.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.64

$3.13 JMD 493

-20.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.6

$6.22 JMD 979

-48.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.91

$1.27 JMD 200

-0.79%

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

$29.7K MX$517.7K

$43.0K JMD 6.8M

-30.94%

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

$23.7K MX$413.0K

$33.9K JMD 5.3M

-30.14%

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

$82.0 MX$1,430

$165 JMD 26.0K

-50.31%

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

$22.73 MX$396

$22.25 JMD 3,505

2.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$513

$51.0 JMD 8,024

-42.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$910

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$13.06 JMD 2,057

-62.25%

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

$202 MX$3,519

$230 JMD 36.2K

-12.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.0K

$2,500 JMD 393.7K

108.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$627

$25.79 JMD 4,061

39.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$703

$25.48 JMD 4,013

58.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,393

$72.2 JMD 11.4K

10.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,557

$74.8 JMD 11.8K

19.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$1,003 JMD 158.0K

-5.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,114

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.15

24.81%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Negril: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Playa del Carmen and $1,003 in Negril. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $49.00 in Negril for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $350 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Negril: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Negril differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($1,259 vs $870 including rent). Negril is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,888 in Playa del Carmen and $1,305 in Negril to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,003 in Negril. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $230 in Negril. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Negril – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $870 in Negril versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Negril but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Negril the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Negril gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.