Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sant Julia de Loria Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sant Julia de Loria

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $874 in Sant Julia de Loria, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,409 in Sant Julia de Loria, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,943 in Sant Julia de Loria, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 47% more than Sant Julia de Loria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sant Julia de Loria are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Sant Julia de Loria 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$13.46 €11.49

-11.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$46.10 €39.37

-7.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$9.39 €8.02

12.78%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$1.49 €1.28

142.95%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$2.01 €1.72

-26.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$1.82 €1.56

-48.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.95 €1.66

58.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$3.22 €2.75

38.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$2.09 €1.79

-75.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$45.57 €38.92

-40.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

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

$22.45 MX$391

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$34.47 €29.44

50.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$15.16 €12.95

23.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$804 €687

19.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$612 €523

-24.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$1,492 €1,275

6.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$1,105 €944

9.40%

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

$4,318 €3,688

-83.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

471.00%

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 Sant Julia de Loria: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $804 in Sant Julia de Loria. 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 499% higher in Sant Julia de Loria, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.00 in Sant Julia de Loria. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

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 Sant Julia de Loria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 47%, 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 $1,311 in Sant Julia de Loria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 69% less in Sant Julia de Loria. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $46.00 in Sant Julia de Loria. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sant Julia de Loria, where all-in costs run around $874, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Sant Julia de Loria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sant Julia de Loria – 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 Sant Julia de Loria. 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.