Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ocho Rios Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ocho Rios

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,090 in Ocho Rios.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,561 in Ocho Rios.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,341 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,033 in Ocho Rios.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 22% more expensive than in Ocho Rios, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ocho Rios 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$9.43 JMD 1,487

38.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$63.1 JMD 9,950

-26.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$6.98 JMD 1,101

80.37%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$3.22 JMD 509

24.22%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$1.23 JMD 194

15.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.72 JMD 113

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$2.27 JMD 358

34.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$2.98 JMD 471

128.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$3.86 JMD 609

-55.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$2.75 JMD 435

-19.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.57 JMD 248

9.55%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$3.64 JMD 574

-25.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$11.61 JMD 1,831

-19.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$6.40 JMD 1,010

38.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$10.33 JMD 1,631

23.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$5.94 JMD 937

-47.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$3.18 JMD 502

-51.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$6.29 JMD 993

-65.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$2.56 JMD 403

-8.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$3.35 JMD 528

-39.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$2.55 JMD 402

-21.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$2.81 JMD 443

-55.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$1.39 JMD 219

-14.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$8.77 JMD 1,384

-46.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$9.43 JMD 1,487

11.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$2.89 JMD 457

-45.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$4.06 JMD 641

-28.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.92 JMD 144

-39.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$1.17 JMD 185

354.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$3.24 JMD 511

14.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$6.24 JMD 985

-7.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.39 JMD 219

11.51%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$42.4K JMD 6.7M

-47.30%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$32.3K JMD 5.1M

-20.85%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$173 JMD 27.2K

-48.24%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$19.86 JMD 3,134

17.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$53.2 JMD 8,397

-40.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$11.35 JMD 1,791

-55.42%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$355 JMD 56.0K

-37.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$8,244 JMD 1.3M

-47.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$23.95 JMD 3,780

92.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$30.99 JMD 4,889

43.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$77.2 JMD 12.2K

23.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$103 JMD 16.2K

-10.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$379 JMD 59.8K

182.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$192 JMD 30.3K

104.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

9.45

22.75%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Ocho Rios: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $379 in Ocho Rios. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $63.0 in Ocho Rios for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $356 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 Ocho Rios: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ocho Rios is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,995 in Playa del Carmen and $1,635 in Ocho Rios 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $379 in Ocho Rios. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Playa del Carmen versus $355 in Ocho Rios. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ocho Rios – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,090 in Ocho Rios versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ocho Rios but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ocho Rios the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ocho Rios is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Ocho Rios gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.