😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,003 in St Francis Bay, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,569 in St Francis Bay, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,134 in St Francis Bay, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 28% more than St Francis Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and St Francis Bay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, St Francis Bay25% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
St Francis Bay
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$208
$8.29R 137
44.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$744
$33.26R 551
28.53%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$184
$4.80R 79.5
120.63%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.0
$2.06R 34.09
75.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.54
$1.04R 17.14
41.35%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.41
$0.81R 13.39
16.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$53.8
$2.30R 38.07
34.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$77.6
$2.46R 40.79
81.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
St Francis Bay
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.80
$1.12R 18.53
27.68%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.79
$1.05R 17.40
79.05%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.34
$1.64R 27.08
-0.61%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.99
$2.39R 39.60
10.46%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$143
$7.87R 130
4.32%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$4.61R 76.4
79.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$193
$6.88R 114
61.34%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.14
$1.65R 27.38
60.61%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.11
$1.51R 25.04
-0.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.59
$1.55R 25.60
28.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.13
$1.59R 26.33
30.82%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.11
$1.36R 22.51
31.62%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.87
$1.22R 20.26
78.69%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.73
$1.05R 17.33
2.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.04
$0.98R 16.29
6.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.1
$2.76R 45.75
43.84%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$178
$4.86R 80.5
109.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.04
$1.34R 22.13
29.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.46
$1.66R 27.54
50.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
St Francis Bay
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.02
$1.69R 27.97
-69.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$469
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.7
$1.13R 18.77
177.88%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.80
$0.96R 15.96
150.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$53.7
$4.14R 68.4
-25.36%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.16
$1.28R 21.24
-0.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$537.3K
$21.6KR 358.0K
42.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$405.7K
$23.4KR 387.9K
-0.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
St Francis Bay
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,427
$119R 1,972
-31.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$391
$35.75R 592
-37.20%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$516
$41.17R 681
-27.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
St Francis Bay
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$903
$30.49R 505
70.12%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$325
$11.03R 183
69.27%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$86.5
$6.61R 109
-24.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
St Francis Bay
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,442
$193R 3,200
2.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$91.7K
$4,310R 71.3K
22.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
St Francis Bay
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$632
$49.76R 824
-26.97%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$697
$31.85R 527
25.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,390
$88.8R 1,469
-10.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,547
$79.7R 1,319
11.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
St Francis Bay
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.8K
$367R 6,067
162.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,086
$336R 5,562
38.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.8K
$685R 11.3K
133.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.0K
$702R 11.6K
72.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$68.6K
$673R 11.1K
485.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.2K
$590R 9,765
992.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
St Francis Bay
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
11.51
-0.78%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para St Francis Bay: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $367 in St Francis Bay. 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 $33.00 in St Francis Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $179 – making St Francis Bay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs St Francis Bay: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is St Francis Bay cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,505 in St Francis Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in St Francis Bay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs St Francis Bay?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,003 in St Francis Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $193 in St Francis Bay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or St Francis Bay?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in St Francis Bay, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In St Francis Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or St Francis Bay more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward St Francis Bay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or St Francis Bay?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with St Francis Bay. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado