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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $908 in Ocho Rios.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,942 in Ocho Rios.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,976 in Ocho Rios.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 42% more expensive than Ocho Rios, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Ocho Rios 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$7.59 JMD 1,195

57.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$62.0 JMD 9,768

-31.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$6.16 JMD 970

71.92%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.64 JMD 416

37.12%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$1.38 JMD 217

6.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.71 JMD 113

32.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$2.25 JMD 354

37.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$3.17 JMD 499

40.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$4.11 JMD 647

-65.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$2.71 JMD 427

-30.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.56 JMD 246

4.49%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$3.56 JMD 561

-25.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$6.78 JMD 1,068

21.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$6.53 JMD 1,029

26.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$7.78 JMD 1,225

42.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$5.83 JMD 918

-54.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$3.05 JMD 481

-50.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$4.19 JMD 660

-52.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$2.32 JMD 365

-10.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$2.07 JMD 326

-13.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.94 JMD 305

12.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$2.10 JMD 330

-48.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$1.09 JMD 171

-4.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$8.81 JMD 1,387

-54.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$9.25 JMD 1,456

10.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$2.46 JMD 388

-29.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.93 JMD 461

-14.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$1.52 JMD 240

-65.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.65 JMD 103

383.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$1.00 JMD 157

140.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$6.11 JMD 962

-49.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.23 JMD 193

3.25%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$43.1K JMD 6.8M

-28.35%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-30.89%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$107 JMD 16.9K

-23.39%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$22.08 JMD 3,477

1.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$39.01 JMD 6,144

-23.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$15.63 JMD 2,462

231.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$5.56 JMD 875

235.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$11.32 JMD 1,783

-56.10%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$226 JMD 35.6K

-12.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$2,454 JMD 386.5K

114.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$15.49 JMD 2,440

134.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$12.62 JMD 1,987

217.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$49.97 JMD 7,870

59.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$62.3 JMD 9,810

42.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$374 JMD 58.9K

157.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$188 JMD 29.6K

147.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$1,217 JMD 191.7K

31.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$1,197 JMD 188.5K

1.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

128.40%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ocho Rios: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $374 in Ocho Rios. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $62.0 in Ocho Rios for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $309 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 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $1,362 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $374 in Ocho Rios. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $226 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 $62.0 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $908 in Ocho Rios versus $1,287 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 42% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.