Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Wadi Musa Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Wadi Musa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $926 in Wadi Musa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,187 in Wadi Musa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,448 in Wadi Musa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 40% more than Wadi Musa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Wadi Musa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Wadi Musa 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.36 JOD 3.79

118.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$34.90 JOD 24.70

19.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.99 JOD 3.53

113.23%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.85 JOD 2.01

23.51%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.51 JOD 0.36

196.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.36 JOD 0.25

169.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$5.61 JOD 3.97

-47.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$6.85 JOD 4.85

-35.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.48 JOD 1.05

-6.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.51 JOD 0.36

270.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.57 JOD 1.11

4.46%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.54 JOD 1.80

-1.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.72 JOD 4.75

24.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.76 JOD 3.37

75.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.16 JOD 7.90

-3.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.78 JOD 1.26

46.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.37 JOD 0.97

6.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.48 JOD 1.05

28.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.73 JOD 0.51

184.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.85 JOD 0.60

109.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.73 JOD 0.52

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.65 JOD 0.46

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.51 JOD 0.36

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.40 JOD 2.40

20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$20.75 JOD 14.69

-50.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$4.70 JOD 3.33

-63.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$5.30 JOD 3.75

-51.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.70 JOD 0.49

365.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.43 JOD 1.02

74.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$7.01 JOD 4.96

-53.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.15 JOD 0.82

13.91%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$26.8K JOD 18.9K

13.18%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$32.4K JOD 22.9K

-27.67%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$71.6 JOD 50.7

15.72%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$4.17 JOD 2.95

432.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$14.01 JOD 9.92

109.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$35.34 JOD 25.01

46.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$11.12 JOD 7.87

-54.41%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$278 JOD 197

-27.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$5,457 JOD 3,862

-4.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$61.4 JOD 43.46

-39.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$56.5 JOD 39.99

-29.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$113 JOD 80.3

-30.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$80.5 JOD 57.0

8.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$350 JOD 247

178.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$283 JOD 201

65.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$488 JOD 345

36.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.27

57.08%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Wadi Musa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $350 in Wadi Musa. 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 36% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Wadi Musa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $229 – making Wadi Musa 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 Wadi Musa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,389 in Wadi Musa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wadi Musa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $926 in Wadi Musa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $278 in Wadi Musa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Wadi Musa, where all-in costs run around $926, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Wadi Musa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wadi Musa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Wadi Musa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.