Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Saint Charles, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Saint Charles, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,804 in Saint Charles, IL, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,076 in Saint Charles, IL, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,349 in Saint Charles, IL, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 54% cheaper than Saint Charles, IL, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Saint Charles, IL is 109% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$37.39 $37.39

-68.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$102 $102

-57.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$10.54 $10.54

0.47%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$7.17 $7.17

-49.51%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$3.39 $3.39

-56.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$2.96 $2.96

-68.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$6.94 $6.94

-55.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$7.55 $7.55

-40.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.04 $1.04

37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$3.60 $3.60

-47.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$4.39 $4.39

-62.87%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$4.47 $4.47

-40.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$12.18 $12.18

-32.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$11.28 $11.28

-26.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$12.80 $12.80

-13.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$4.76 $4.76

-44.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.07 $1.07

40.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$4.31 $4.31

-53.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$4.80 $4.80

-56.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$2.87 $2.87

-37.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$2.91 $2.91

-25.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.59 $1.59

-32.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$2.21 $2.21

-52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$9.87 $9.87

-59.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$15.18 $15.18

-32.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.78 $1.78

-2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$3.39 $3.39

-26.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$1.97 $1.97

-73.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$3.55 $3.55

-11.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$1.58 $1.58

51.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$28.97 $28.97

-89.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$0.86 $0.86

47.67%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$29.6K $29.6K

4.27%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$25.7K $25.7K

-9.19%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$186 $186

-55.99%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$52.5 $52.5

-57.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$67.4 $67.4

-55.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$42.36 $42.36

22.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$13.65 $13.65

-63.59%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$1,302 $1,302

-84.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$23.6K $23.6K

-77.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$50.5 $50.5

-28.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$40.26 $40.26

-0.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$85.3 $85.3

-6.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$112 $112

-20.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$1,602 $1,602

-39.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$1,369 $1,369

-66.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$2,644 $2,644

-39.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$2,258 $2,258

-46.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$3,032 $3,032

30.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$2,720 $2,720

137.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.51

75.42%

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 Saint Charles, IL: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,602 in Saint Charles, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $102 in Saint Charles, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $378 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Saint Charles, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint Charles, IL is pricier by about 118%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,206 in Saint Charles, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $2,804 in Saint Charles, IL. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,302 in Saint Charles, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Saint Charles, IL at $2,804. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Charles, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint Charles, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.