Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Saint Joseph, MI Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Saint Joseph, MI

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,942 in Saint Joseph, MI, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,093 in Saint Joseph, MI, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,245 in Saint Joseph, MI, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 34% cheaper than Saint Joseph, MI, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Saint Joseph, MI is 45% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$16.03 $16.03

-25.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$60.4 $60.4

-29.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$9.20 $9.20

15.11%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$4.28 $4.28

-15.42%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$2.31 $2.31

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$1.70 $1.70

-44.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$3.91 $3.91

-20.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$5.47 $5.47

-18.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$0.75 $0.75

90.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$3.06 $3.06

-38.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$4.84 $4.84

-66.32%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$4.09 $4.09

-35.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$10.98 $10.98

-25.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$10.51 $10.51

-21.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$8.68 $8.68

27.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$5.65 $5.65

-53.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.24 $1.24

20.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$5.38 $5.38

-63.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$5.58 $5.58

-62.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$3.73 $3.73

-52.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$4.37 $4.37

-50.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$2.04 $2.04

-47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$1.51 $1.51

-31.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$8.17 $8.17

-51.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$8.33 $8.33

22.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.76 $1.76

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$3.68 $3.68

-32.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$1.95 $1.95

-73.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$5.07 $5.07

-38.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$1.64 $1.64

46.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$49.53 $49.53

-93.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$0.84 $0.84

51.19%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$23.5K $23.5K

31.44%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$31.1K $31.1K

-24.91%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$186 $186

-55.85%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$56.7 $56.7

-60.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$71.1 $71.1

-58.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$40.14 $40.14

29.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$10.29 $10.29

-51.70%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$958 $958

-79.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$23.5K $23.5K

-77.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$39.71 $39.71

-8.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$48.15 $48.15

-16.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$76.5 $76.5

4.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$74.3 $74.3

19.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$1,060 $1,060

-9.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$827 $827

-43.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$1,877 $1,877

-14.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$1,806 $1,806

-33.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$2,861 $2,861

37.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$2,026 $2,026

218.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$4,772 $4,772

-84.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.9

93.56%

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 Joseph, MI: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,060 in Saint Joseph, MI. 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 562% higher in Saint Joseph, MI, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $60.0 in Saint Joseph, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $350 – 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 Joseph, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint Joseph, MI is pricier by about 51%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $2,913 in Saint Joseph, MI. 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 $1,942 in Saint Joseph, MI. 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 $958 in Saint Joseph, MI. 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 Joseph, MI at $1,942. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Joseph, MI 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.

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