Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sao Tome Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sao Tome

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,255 in Sao Tome, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,961 in Sao Tome, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,667 in Sao Tome, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 1% more than Sao Tome, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sao Tome are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Sao Tome 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$9.08 STN 193

27.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$46.64 STN 993

1.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$8.33 STN 177

42.62%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.29 STN 48.85

73.80%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$1.86 STN 39.53

-23.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$1.31 STN 27.89

-37.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$1.74 STN 37.05

83.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.85 STN 39.39

267.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.64 STN 34.94

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.00 STN 21.31

120.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$2.11 STN 44.95

-18.96%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$4.98 STN 106

-44.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$19.88 STN 423

-51.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$20.53 STN 437

-56.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$25.32 STN 539

-49.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.85 STN 81.9

-24.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.77 STN 37.78

-15.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$3.68 STN 78.4

-41.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$3.49 STN 74.3

-35.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$3.04 STN 64.7

-34.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$2.50 STN 53.2

-20.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.52 STN 11.15

136.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$2.05 STN 43.60

-41.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$2.39 STN 51.0

90.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$8.17 STN 174

26.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.54 STN 32.91

5.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$1.76 STN 37.44

63.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$1.39 STN 29.67

-56.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.68 STN 35.79

220.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$2.76 STN 58.7

35.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$14.32 STN 305

-59.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.73 STN 36.77

-10.98%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$25.3K STN 539.0K

-10.90%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$32.2K STN 685.0K

-18.97%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$233 STN 4,973

-60.86%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$32.20 STN 686

-21.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$69.6 STN 1,483

-55.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$34.32 STN 731

95.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$25.87 STN 551

12.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$20.50 STN 437

-76.29%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$240 STN 5,122

-7.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$2,220 STN 47.3K

90.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$76.8 STN 1,636

-42.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$19.18 STN 409

383.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$291 STN 6,200

265.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$203 STN 4,329

92.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$961 STN 20.5K

123.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$458 STN 9,763

177.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$1,852 STN 39.4K

116.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,174 STN 25.0K

454.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$271 STN 5,770

179.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.38

55.15%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Sao Tome: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $291 in Sao Tome. 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 180% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $47.00 in Sao Tome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $423 – 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 Sao Tome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,883 in Sao Tome. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sao Tome, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,255 in Sao Tome. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $240 in Sao Tome. 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 Sao Tome, where all-in costs run around $1,255, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Sao Tome it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sao Tome – 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 Sao Tome. 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.