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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,032 per month in Wadi Musa vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,330 per month in Wadi Musa vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,628 per month in Wadi Musa vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Wadi Musa is about 18% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Wadi Musa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Wadi Musa 25% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 JOD 4.97

$11.60 MX$199

-39.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.63 JOD 24.51

$47.11 MX$809

-26.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 JOD 4.84

$11.88 MX$204

-42.42%

Cappuccino

$2.77 JOD 1.96

$3.98 MX$68.2

-30.40%

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

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.43 MX$24.49

-64.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 JOD 0.29

$0.82 MX$14.16

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.33 JOD 5.89

$3.19 MX$54.7

161.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.80 JOD 7.64

$6.79 MX$117

59.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 JOD 1.02

$1.68 MX$28.76

-14.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 JOD 0.51

$2.20 MX$37.71

-67.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 JOD 0.97

$1.71 MX$29.32

-19.88%

Eggs

$2.39 JOD 1.69

$2.74 MX$47.05

-12.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 JOD 6.55

$9.58 MX$164

-3.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 JOD 3.93

$9.01 MX$155

-38.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 JOD 7.95

$12.81 MX$220

-12.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$2.89 MX$49.58

-50.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 JOD 0.99

$1.50 MX$25.70

-7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 JOD 0.98

$2.15 MX$36.87

-35.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 JOD 0.51

$2.26 MX$38.79

-68.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$1.98 MX$34.00

-62.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$1.99 MX$34.15

-65.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 JOD 0.42

$1.23 MX$21.18

-51.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 JOD 0.29

$1.20 MX$20.54

-66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 JOD 2.55

$4.55 MX$78.1

-20.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.37 JOD 15.12

$10.37 MX$178

106.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.22 JOD 3.69

$1.62 MX$27.79

222.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 JOD 3.68

$2.88 MX$49.44

80.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 JOD 0.42

$5.39 MX$92.5

-89.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 JOD 0.98

$3.73 MX$64.0

-63.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 JOD 5.02

$5.77 MX$99.0

23.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 JOD 0.78

$1.54 MX$26.37

-27.92%

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

$35.0K JOD 24.7K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

55.09%

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

$34.0K JOD 24.0K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

30.34%

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

$69.2 JOD 48.94

$91.4 MX$1,569

-24.33%

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

$4.14 JOD 2.93

$25.20 MX$433

-83.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 JOD 9.80

$31.24 MX$536

-55.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.30 JOD 24.98

$67.2 MX$1,154

-47.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$11.35 JOD 8.03

$4.86 MX$83.5

133.54%

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

$489 JOD 346

$224 MX$3,839

118.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,433 JOD 6,676

$4,229 MX$72.6K

123.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 JOD 45.14

$47.10 MX$808

35.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$82.2 JOD 58.2

$44.29 MX$760

85.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 JOD 87.8

$80.1 MX$1,375

54.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.3 JOD 60.4

$92.7 MX$1,591

-7.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$346 JOD 245

$1,063 MX$18.2K

-67.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 JOD 202

$390 MX$6,698

-27.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$496 JOD 351

$758 MX$13.0K

-34.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

11.45

-40.52%

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

Last update for Wadi Musa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $346 in Wadi Musa versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. 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 53% 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 $35.00 in Wadi Musa versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $276 – 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

Wadi Musa vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,548 per month in Wadi Musa and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,032 in Wadi Musa and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $489 per month in Wadi Musa and $224 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,032, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.